Can you see the northern lights in Louisiana tonight?
Unlikely: Kp 1.33 at 4:21 PM CDT falls short of the Kp 9 or so that Louisiana's northern horizon requires.
as of
Kp now
1.33
Louisiana needs
n/a
Verdict
No chance
Sky tonight
Partly cloudy, 56% cloud
Moon tonight
40% lit, last quarter
Nautical darkness
Darkness 7:45 PM to 6:15 AM
Kp from NOAA SWPC estimated planetary K index. The NWS SHV gridded forecast provides cloud cover for Lake Claiborne State Park.
At Lake Claiborne State Park, nautical darkness begins at 7:45 PM and holds until 6:15 AM CDT. Tonight's moon, in its last quarter phase, shows 40 percent lit. The sun and moon positions, computed for the date and the viewing spot, supply both numbers, and no forecast plays a part.
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.
Why Louisiana needs Kp 9
Because the aurora follows the magnetic field rather than the equator, geomagnetic latitude matters more than map latitude. At Louisiana's northern edge, the reading is 41.7° geomagnetic; the oval only draws level with that latitude at about Kp 9, and the Kp number already includes roughly 5 degrees of cushion, because the high-altitude aurora hangs low on the horizon.
Where to watch from in Louisiana
All three spots in Louisiana can differ in cloud cover, so all three are worth a look. Lake Claiborne State Park looks clearest tonight, at 56% cover.
| Spot | Cloud tonight | Clearest hour | Nearest town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Claiborne State Park | 56% Partly cloudy | 1:00 AM CDT | Lisbon |
| Kisatchie National Forest | 74% Mostly cloudy | 3:00 AM CDT | Colfax |
| Poverty Point Reservoir | 85% Mostly cloudy | 3:00 AM CDT | Oak Ridge |
Louisiana is too far south for the aurora, even at Kp 9. Lake Claiborne State Park near Lisbon and Kisatchie National Forest near Colfax are good dark places for other sky sights, but northern lights are not among them. Poverty Point Reservoir near Oak Ridge is another dark spot. The geometry never cooperates.
Can the northern lights reach Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Shreveport tonight?
| City | Kp needed | Right now |
|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge | n/a | No chance |
| New Orleans | n/a | No chance |
| Shreveport | n/a | No chance |
Each city's Kp value comes from its own coordinates and geomagnetic latitude, so the further south a city is in the state, the higher the Kp it needs.
Cloud cover, averaged over tonight's viewing window for each location, comes from NWS gridded forecasts.
The next three days
NOAA's three-hour Kp outlook. At its highest expected value, Kp 5.00 remains below the Kp 9 threshold Louisiana requires.
| Day | Local window | Kp | In range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 3 | 7 PM to 10 PM CDT00-03UT | 3.00 | No |
| Oct 3 | 10 PM to 1 AM CDT03-06UT | 3.33 | No |
| Oct 4 | 1 AM to 4 AM CDT06-09UT | 4.33 | No |
| Oct 4 | 4 AM to 7 AM CDT09-12UT | 5.00 | No |
| Oct 4 | 7 AM to 10 AM CDT12-15UT | 4.00 | No |
| Oct 4 | 10 AM to 1 PM CDT15-18UT | 3.67 | No |
| Oct 4 | 1 PM to 4 PM CDT18-21UT | 4.67 | No |
| Oct 4 | 4 PM to 7 PM CDT21-00UT | 3.00 | No |
| Oct 4 | 7 PM to 10 PM CDT00-03UT | 3.33 | No |
| Oct 4 | 10 PM to 1 AM CDT03-06UT | 4.33 | No |
| Oct 5 | 1 AM to 4 AM CDT06-09UT | 3.33 | No |
| Oct 5 | 7 AM to 10 AM CDT12-15UT | 2.67 | No |
| Oct 5 | 10 AM to 1 PM CDT15-18UT | 1.67 | No |
| Oct 5 | 4 PM to 7 PM CDT21-00UT | 3.00 | No |
| Oct 5 | 7 PM to 10 PM CDT00-03UT | 3.33 | No |
| Oct 5 | 10 PM to 1 AM CDT03-06UT | 3.67 | No |
| Oct 6 | 1 AM to 4 AM CDT06-09UT | 3.00 | No |
| Oct 6 | 4 AM to 7 AM CDT09-12UT | 3.00 | No |
| Oct 6 | 7 AM to 10 AM CDT12-15UT | 2.33 | No |
| Oct 6 | 10 AM to 1 PM CDT15-18UT | 2.00 | No |
| Oct 6 | 1 PM to 4 PM CDT18-21UT | 2.00 | No |
| Oct 6 | 4 PM to 7 PM CDT21-00UT | 1.67 | No |
NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center three-day forecast, issued 2026 Oct 04 1230 UTC.
Watching from Louisiana
- The aurora seldom appears overhead in Louisiana; look at the northern horizon instead.
- Away from town lights, allow 20 minutes for your eyes to adjust.
- The aurora is most active from 10pm to 2am local, near magnetic midnight.
- A phone exposure of 3-5 seconds picks up color the eye cannot; a grey glow can photograph green.
Compare every state, ranked right now
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.