Northern Lights Tonight in Cleveland, Ohio
Tonight in Cleveland: aurora is unlikely. Kp peaks at 3.7, below the local Kp 5.5 threshold; clouds 64%.
Visibility now
UnlikelyKp 2.0 now (quiet); this spot needs Kp 5.5+.
Kp: NOAA SWPC · Oval: NOAA OVATION · Clouds: Open-Meteo · Updated every 15 minutes.
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Cleveland aurora forecast
| EST | Kp | Chance | Status | Clouds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 PM | 3.7 | 10 of 100 | Unlikely | 100% |
| 7 PM | 3.7 | 10 of 100 | Unlikely | 100% |
| 8 PM | 3.7 | 10 of 100 | Unlikely | 96% |
| 9 PM | 3.7 | 10 of 100 | Unlikely | 100% |
| 10 PM | 3.7 | 10 of 100 | Unlikely | 100% |
| 11 PM | 3.7 | 10 of 100 | Unlikely | 100% |
Chance combines Kp against the local threshold, clouds, darkness and the moon. Hours before dark read “Too light”.
Kp is just one factor. The app adds clouds, moon, darkness, latitude and solar wind for each night.
Which nights are best?
No night in the 27-day NOAA outlook reaches Cleveland's Kp 5.5; storms can still arrive at short notice.
~16 aurora nights per year
Dark nights when Kp reached 5.5, average of the last three years (GFZ Potsdam). Clouds not counted.
Average nights per month since 2015. Best months to visit: Mar, May, Sep.
Tonight's best window
If activity picks up, watch3 AM – 5 AM EST, look north, low on the horizon.
Fully dark from 6:47 PM to 5:34 AM EST.
Why this forecast?
Aurora Borealis Viewing in Cleveland
Cleveland has a good setup for a storm night. The threshold is Kp 5.5, and the city faces north across Lake Erie, so the horizon in the direction you need is open water, with no suburbs in the way. Canada’s shore sits far beyond and adds little light.
The lakefront is where you go. Edgewater Park on the west side and the lakeshore at Wendy Park look out over the lake without buildings in the foreground, though the downtown glow stays at your back. The catch is winter weather. Lake-effect cloud and snow dominate the season, so a clear night is the exception, and the east side snowbelt is the worst of it.
To get away from the glow, drive east to Geauga County. Geauga Observatory Park is a certified International Dark Sky Park, with a field built for night-sky viewing. Headlands Beach State Park, to the northeast on the lake, gives you a dark shore with open water ahead. Choose by cloud forecast first, and Kp second.
For the whole picture, check the northern lights tonight overview or the live aurora map.
Dark-sky spots near Cleveland
Headlands Beach State Park
A long sand beach on Lake Erie east of the city, looking north over open water with a darker shore than the downtown lakefront.
Geauga Observatory Park
International Dark Sky Park (DarkSky International)
Ohio’s first dark-sky park, in Montville Township, with an open field for night sky viewing. A short drive east of Cleveland.
Other cities in the US
Detroit
Columbus
Chicago
Milwaukee
New York
Bangor
Plan your trip
Northern Lights in Cleveland: Quick Guide
How often can you see the northern lights in Cleveland?
What Kp do I need to see the northern lights in Cleveland?
Can I see the northern lights tonight in Cleveland?
Where should I look for the northern lights in Cleveland?
What time is best tonight in Cleveland?
Free app for iPhone and Android
Know when the sky is worth your time
The forecast on this page, watching your location all night and telling you when to step outside.
The hour tonight when Kp, clouds and darkness line up for your spot.
A push alert 30–90 minutes before the aurora reaches your sky, even at 2 AM.
Where the clouds open nearby, so you know which way to drive.
Learn more about the northern lights
How to See the Northern Lights: A Beginner's Guide
Three conditions decide whether you see the northern lights: activity at your latitude, a clear sky and darkness. Here is how to check each one.
Aurora Colors and What They Mean
Green, red, blue, purple and pink aurora explained: which gas makes each color, how high it glows, and why your camera shows more than your eyes.
Northern Lights in Canada: Best Places
The best places to see the northern lights in Canada: Yellowknife, Whitehorse, Churchill, Jasper and the prairies, plus what Ontario and Quebec get.
Northern Lights in Scotland
Where to see the northern lights in Scotland: north coast, islands, Cairngorms and dark sky parks, when the sky is dark enough, and how to beat cloud.
Northern Lights in Norway
Where to see the northern lights in Norway, which months work, why the coast and inland need different plans, and what Oslo gets in a storm.
Aurora Australis Forecast Guide
How to read a forecast for the southern lights: Kp, Bz, the southern oval, darkness, moon and cloud, plus where to look in Tasmania and southern Australia.
Kp index today
Live Kp, the 3-day and 27-day forecast, and what Kp each city needs.
Geomagnetic storm today
G-scale now, the storm outlook and how far south the aurora reaches.