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Can You See the Northern Lights in Thunder Bay Tonight?
Thunder Bay, Ontario · 57° geomagnetic latitude · Mon 9 Nov, 08:55 local
Tonight
71/100Good chance: Kp 4.7 should put the aurora more or less overhead in Thunder Bay, and skies look mostly clear.
- Dark hours
- 18:40–06:50
- Peak activity
- Kp 4.7
- Cloud cover
- 19%
- Moon
- 5%
The next few nights
Tue 10 Nov
UnlikelyKp 2.7 · 58% cloud
Wed 11 Nov
UnlikelyKp 2.7 · 69% cloud
3-day Kp forecast
The planetary Kp index (0–9) in three-hour steps. A higher bar means the aurora reaches further from the poles. Kp 5+ is a geomagnetic storm.
Check another place
Northern Lights in other cities
Fairbanks, Alaska Anchorage, Alaska Utqiagvik, Alaska Juneau, Alaska Minneapolis, Minnesota Duluth, Minnesota Marquette, Michigan Fargo, North Dakota Bismarck, North Dakota Seattle, Washington Spokane, Washington Portland, Oregon Chicago, Illinois Detroit, Michigan Boston, Massachusetts Yellowknife, Northwest Territories Whitehorse, Yukon Churchill, Manitoba Iqaluit, Nunavut Fort McMurray, Alberta Edmonton, Alberta Calgary, Alberta Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Winnipeg, Manitoba Ottawa, Ontario Toronto, Ontario Vancouver, British Columbia Tromsø Alta Oslo Bergen Kiruna Abisko Stockholm Rovaniemi Helsinki Reykjavík Nuuk Murmansk Tallinn Copenhagen Lerwick, Shetland Inverness, Scotland Aberdeen, Scotland Edinburgh, Scotland Glasgow, Scotland Newcastle upon Tyne, England Manchester, England London, England Belfast, Northern Ireland Dublin Hobart, Tasmania Dunedin Invercargill Christchurch Ushuaia
Space-weather Kp index and forecast: NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (public domain), refreshed about every 30 minutes. Cloud cover: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Darkness and moonlight are worked out locally. This is an estimate for planning, not a guarantee: the aurora is unpredictable, so check again after dark and get away from city lights with a clear view toward the pole.
About the Northern Lights Tonight
Northern Lights Tonight answers the one question an aurora forecast should: can I actually see it from where I am tonight? It reads the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center Kp forecast (how disturbed Earth’s magnetic field is, which sets how far from the poles the aurora reaches), compares it with your city’s geomagnetic latitude, then weighs in how dark your sky gets, how bright the moon is and the cloud cover from MET Norway. The result is a plain yes, maybe or no for tonight and the next two nights, not just a map of numbers. It works for the aurora borealis in the northern hemisphere and the aurora australis in the south.
How to use it
- 1 Pick your city, or tap “Use my location”.
- 2 Read tonight’s verdict — yes, maybe or no — and why.
- 3 Check the dark hours, peak Kp, cloud cover and moon for the night.
- 4 Look at the next two nights and the 3-day Kp forecast to plan ahead.
Frequently asked questions
Can you see the northern lights in Thunder Bay?
Yes, when space weather is active enough. Thunder Bay sits at about 57° geomagnetic latitude, so the aurora usually needs a Kp of around 5 or higher to come into view there, together with a dark, clear sky away from city lights. This page checks tonight's forecast for you.
What Kp do I need to see the aurora in Thunder Bay?
Around Kp 5. Lower Kp keeps the aurora nearer the poles; the higher the Kp, the further from the poles it reaches. During strong geomagnetic storms (Kp 7–9) the northern lights can be seen well beyond their usual range.
When is the best time to see the northern lights in Thunder Bay?
On a clear, moonless night when it is fully dark, usually between about 10 pm and 2 am local time, and in the darker half of the year. Get away from street lights and look toward the pole.
How accurate is the aurora forecast?
The Kp forecast is most reliable within a day or two; further out it is a rough outlook. Even with a strong Kp, local cloud, a bright moon or light pollution can hide the aurora, and brief bursts can appear with little warning. Treat the verdict as a good guide, not a guarantee, and check again after dark.
What is the Kp index?
Kp is a 0–9 scale of how disturbed Earth’s magnetic field is. The higher it is, the further from the poles the auroral oval stretches. Kp 5 or more is a geomagnetic storm (G1–G5). Your latitude decides what Kp you need: the far north sees aurora at Kp 2–3, while mid-latitudes need Kp 6–8.
Why can’t I see the aurora even when Kp is high?
The three usual culprits are cloud, moonlight and light pollution. You also need it to be properly dark, so a bright summer sky at high latitude can hide even a strong display. Get away from town, find a clear view toward the pole, and let your eyes adjust for 15–20 minutes.
Does this work for the southern lights?
Yes. For cities in the southern hemisphere it forecasts the aurora australis, using the same space-weather data and the southern auroral oval.
When is aurora season?
The aurora happens year-round, but you need dark skies to see it, so autumn through early spring (roughly September to March in the north) is best. Activity also tends to pick up around the equinoxes.
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