Can you see the northern lights tonight?
Yes, in 1 state. The planetary Kp index is 0.67 as of 5:09 PM EDT, reported by the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center.
as of
What is Kp?
A 0-9 scale called Kp rates the current disturbance of Earth's magnetic field. Its name comes from planetarische Kennziffer, German for planetary index. Thirteen observatories worldwide take the measurements. Higher values mean the aurora reaches further south. Most of the northern US needs a Kp of 5 or higher, while northern Alaska sees it at Kp 0. Full Kp guide.
Northern lights near me: tonight's aurora forecast by state
Ranked right now
- No chance
- Unlikely
- Possible
- Likely
- Overhead
| State | Chance | Verdict | Kp needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 99% | Overhead | Kp 0 |
| Minnesota | 26% | Unlikely | Kp 2 |
| North Dakota | 19% | Unlikely | Kp 3 |
| Maine | 17% | Unlikely | Kp 3 |
| Michigan | 16% | Unlikely | Kp 3 |
| Montana | 13% | Unlikely | Kp 3 |
| Wisconsin | 13% | Unlikely | Kp 3 |
| Idaho | 11% | Unlikely | Kp 3 |
| Washington | 8% | Unlikely | Kp 4 |
| New Hampshire | 7% | Unlikely | Kp 4 |
| New York | 7% | Unlikely | Kp 4 |
| Vermont | 7% | Unlikely | Kp 4 |
| South Dakota | 6% | No chance | Kp 4 |
| Massachusetts | 3% | No chance | Kp 5 |
| Wyoming | 3% | No chance | Kp 5 |
| Connecticut | 2% | No chance | Kp 5 |
| Illinois | 2% | No chance | Kp 5 |
| Iowa | 2% | No chance | Kp 5 |
| Nebraska | 2% | No chance | Kp 6 |
| Ohio | 2% | No chance | Kp 6 |
| Oregon | 2% | No chance | Kp 5 |
| Pennsylvania | 2% | No chance | Kp 5 |
| Rhode Island | 2% | No chance | Kp 5 |
| Colorado | 1% | No chance | Kp 7 |
| Delaware | 1% | No chance | Kp 7 |
| Indiana | 1% | No chance | Kp 6 |
| Maryland | 1% | No chance | Kp 7 |
| Missouri | 1% | No chance | Kp 6 |
| New Jersey | 1% | No chance | Kp 6 |
| Utah | 1% | No chance | Kp 7 |
| Virginia | 1% | No chance | Kp 7 |
| West Virginia | 1% | No chance | Kp 6 |
| Alabama | 0% | No chance | Kp 9 |
| Arizona | 0% | No chance | Kp 9 |
| Arkansas | 0% | No chance | Kp 8 |
| California | 0% | No chance | Kp 7 |
| DC | 0% | No chance | Kp 7 |
| Florida | 0% | No chance | Out of reach |
| Georgia | 0% | No chance | Kp 9 |
| Hawaii | 0% | No chance | Out of reach |
| Kansas | 0% | No chance | Kp 7 |
| Kentucky | 0% | No chance | Kp 7 |
| Louisiana | 0% | No chance | Out of reach |
| Mississippi | 0% | No chance | Kp 9 |
| Nevada | 0% | No chance | Kp 7 |
| New Mexico | 0% | No chance | Kp 9 |
| North Carolina | 0% | No chance | Kp 8 |
| Oklahoma | 0% | No chance | Kp 8 |
| South Carolina | 0% | No chance | Kp 9 |
| Tennessee | 0% | No chance | Kp 8 |
| Texas | 0% | No chance | Kp 9 |
The NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center produces the Kp readings and aurora forecasts on this page. As US government works, they are not subject to copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105; this notice is the notice required by 17 U.S.C. 403. Mention of the center does not imply endorsement or affiliation; for attribution, see Data sources and attribution.