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Aurora forecast: live northern and southern lights
Where the aurora is likely right now, from NOAA's OVATION model, and how active Earth's magnetic field is (the Kp index).
Updated 2026-10-04 23:21 UTC · refreshes every few minutes
5.67
Kp index now
5.67
Kp max, 24 h
G2 Moderate
Geomagnetic storm
39% / 41%
Peak chance N / S
Kp for the 3-hour interval starting 2026-10-04 18:00 UTC. Aurora forecast valid 2026-10-04 23:53 UTC.
🌍 See the aurora oval on the live globe →How to read this
Kp runs from 0 (quiet) to 9 (extreme). NOAA calls Kp 5 and above a geomagnetic storm: G1 minor, G2 moderate, G3 strong, G4 severe, G5 extreme. The higher it is, the further from the poles the aurora can be seen.
The forecast map shows the probability of aurora overhead for the next 30–90 minutes. You need dark, clear skies, ideally looking towards the pole and away from city lights.
Sources: NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (OVATION aurora forecast, planetary K-index).