Aurora Borealis Forecast

Can you see the northern lights in Washington?

Yes, on active nights. In Bellingham you need a Kp of about 6.2; in Vancouver, about 6.8. Seeing the aurora from southern Washington is G3 (Strong) territory on NOAA's storm scale, and NOAA counts about 130 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 Washington

Tonight (Thu Oct 8, 2026): forecast peak Kp 5.7 in Washington.

Based on the Kp forecast only. For clouds and timing at your exact location, enter your ZIP on the tonight page.
CityKp neededTonight's peakOutlook
Bellingham, WA6.25.7Possible, low on the horizon
Spokane, WA6.35.7Possible, low on the horizon
Seattle, WA6.45.7Possible, low on the horizon
Vancouver, WA6.85.7Unlikely

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 Washington

Where to see the northern lights in Washington

  1. North Cascades National Park (Whatcom, Skagit and Chelan Counties, northern Washington). More than 600,000 acres of the park are designated Stephen Mather Wilderness, which keeps most of it free of artificial light, though NPS notes the park is not immune to light pollution. It isn't a certified dark sky place. Source
  2. Mount Rainier National Park (Sunrise) (Pierce County, northeast side of the park). NPS lists Sunrise for stargazing, with Sunrise Point noted as having less light pollution than the visitor center. The Sunrise road is open only in summer, roughly July through October, and lying in the meadows is not permitted. Source
  3. Goldendale Observatory State Park Heritage Site (Goldendale). Washington State Parks describes vivid starry skies and one of the nation's largest public telescopes. The park held International Dark Sky Park status from 2010 until it was rescinded in 2017. Check the park's alerts for current hours and programs before you go. Source

New to aurora watching? See what Kp means and when to look.

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