Northern Lights Tonight in Alaska
Alaska is the best aurora state: Interior and Arctic points see it from Kp 1.0, and even Juneau in the Southeast needs only about Kp 3.0. Tonight's peak Kp is 3.7 (active): best chance at Juneau, moderate.
Best chance in Alaska tonight
ModerateJuneau: moderate, peak Kp 3.7 against Kp 3.0 needed, clouds 84%.
Kp requirements by location
1Utqiagvik
| On the horizon | Kp 1.0 |
| Clearly visible | Kp 2.0 |
| Bright, overhead | Kp 3.0 |
Kp now 2.0: clearly visible range
2Coldfoot
| On the horizon | Kp 1.0 |
| Clearly visible | Kp 2.0 |
| Bright, overhead | Kp 3.0 |
Kp now 2.0: clearly visible range
| On the horizon | Kp 1.6 |
| Clearly visible | Kp 2.6 |
| Bright, overhead | Kp 3.6 |
Kp now 2.0: horizon range
| On the horizon | Kp 3.0 |
| Clearly visible | Kp 4.0 |
| Bright, overhead | Kp 5.0 |
Kp now 2.0: 1.0 short of the horizon
| On the horizon | Kp 3.0 |
| Clearly visible | Kp 4.0 |
| Bright, overhead | Kp 5.0 |
Kp now 2.0: 1.0 short of the horizon
Best dark sky viewing locations
Chena Hot Springs Resort
A resort in the hills east of Fairbanks, far from city light, with wide northern views and an aurora season well known in the Interior.
Paved Chena Hot Springs Road from Fairbanks, plowed in winter.
Denali National Park (Visitor Center)
The park entrance area has little light, and the open views toward the north work when the mountains stay clear of cloud.
Paved George Parks Highway to the entrance; roads inside close in winter.
Chugach State Park (Glen Alps)
A mountain trailhead above Anchorage, on the edge of the Chugach, a short drive from the city with a clear view north over the lights.
Paved roads from Anchorage to the Glen Alps lot; steep winter road.
Aurora status by city
Juneau
Utqiagvik
Coldfoot
Fairbanks
Anchorage
What time to look tonight in Alaska
Best window tonight: 12 AM – 2 AM AKST at Juneau. Look north-northeast, low on the horizon; the hours around local midnight are usually the most active.
Best viewing season in Alaska
Alaska's aurora season runs from late August to early April, with the longest nights in December. In the Interior and the Arctic, even a quiet night can bring aurora, and Fairbanks sits under the auroral oval. Summer near the solstice has no real darkness, so the viewing season runs through the dark half of the year.
Clear skies are the limit. Interior winters are cold, dry and often clear, while Anchorage is cloudier and Southeast Alaska, around Juneau, is mostly overcast, with heavy winter rain and cloud. The Brooks Range and the Interior see the clearest nights, and the darkest views are in the north and away from road lights.
Peak aurora months
At Utqiagvik, Kp most often reaches the threshold on dark nights in January, February, March and October.
GFZ Potsdam Kp since 2015; clouds not counted.
Alaska northern lights FAQ
Can you see the northern lights in Alaska?
Can I see the northern lights in Alaska tonight?
Where are the darkest skies in Alaska?
What Kp do I need to see the northern lights in Alaska?
Free app for iPhone and Android
Track aurora across Alaska
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.
Explore more
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.