Can you see the northern lights in Utah?
Yes, but rarely — it takes a severe geomagnetic storm. In Logan you need a Kp of about 7.3; in St. George, about 8.2. Seeing the aurora from southern Utah is G4 (Severe) territory on NOAA's storm scale, and NOAA counts about 60 days per 11-year solar cycle at that level. Our table below also marks a city "possible" when the forecast is within one Kp of what it needs — the aurora may show low on the northern horizon, and phone cameras often pick it up before your eyes do. Source: NOAA Space Weather Scales.
Northern lights tonight in Utah
Tonight (Thu Oct 8, 2026): forecast peak Kp 5.7 in Utah.
| City | Kp needed | Tonight's peak | Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Logan, UT | 7.3 | 5.7 | Unlikely |
| Salt Lake City, UT | 7.5 | 5.7 | Unlikely |
| Provo, UT | 7.6 | 5.7 | Unlikely |
| St. George, UT | 8.2 | 5.7 | Unlikely |
Space weather data from NOAA, updated . Refreshed every 5 minutes.
Kp needed comes from the NOAA Space Weather Scales, which give latitudes for Kp 6–9. Values for places north of about 55° geomagnetic latitude (including Alaska) are our extrapolation. NOAA notes that even at Kp 0 the edge of the auroral oval sits near 66° geomagnetic latitude, so interior Alaska can see aurora on quiet nights. How we calculate this.
Check your exact location: enter your ZIP code · get aurora alerts for Utah
Where to see the northern lights in Utah
- Antelope Island State Park (Davis County, near Syracuse). Utah State Parks lists the island as an International Dark Sky Park. It sits in the Great Salt Lake, and Fox13 reported in 2017 that it was Utah's ninth such site and the third state park to earn the title. Source
- Dead Horse Point State Park (Grand County, near Moab). Utah State Parks says the park holds an International Dark Sky Park designation and protects its night skies. Day-use hours end at 10 p.m., so staying later needs a camping or yurt reservation or a ranger program. Source
- Cedar Breaks National Monument (Iron County, near Cedar City). Designated an International Dark Sky Park in March 2017. At about 10,350 feet it hosts what the NPS calls the highest ranger stargazing programs in the park system, about 30 minutes from Cedar City. Source
- Bryce Canyon National Park (Garfield County, near Tropic). The NPS says Bryce received International Dark Sky status in 2019, helped by its high elevation, clean air and remote location. Source
New to aurora watching? See what Kp means and when to look.
Good to know
- KSL reported in November 2025 that Utahns last saw the aurora clearly on May 11, 2024, during the first G5 (extreme) storm in about two decades. Source