Aurora Forecast Tonight: Live Northern Lights Map
Aurora forecast in brief
To judge your chances of seeing the aurora, do not look at a single number. What matters is the combination of geomagnetic activity, the Bz direction, the solar wind speed, the cloud cover, a dark sky and the observer’s location.
Aurora Forecast Tonight: Live Northern Lights Map
The Northern Lights can surprise — which is why I’ve prepared a post where I show a Northern Lights radar and the current Northern Lights forecast and explain the most important Northern Lights parameters. Check the real-time data and find out when the chance of seeing the aurora is the greatest.
To connect this topic with a wider northern travel plan, see the North section.
NORTH
North: Iceland, Norway, northern lights and Lofoten
A dedicated OndaTravel section for northern trips: Iceland, Norway, fjords, Lofoten, northern lights, ready-made routes and planning tools.
Want a location-based forecast? Open the Northern Lights Radar – locations. Planning an aurora trip? Start with the Norway travel map or the Iceland travel map.
GUIDE
Northern Lights Radar: Live Aurora Forecast by Location
Live aurora radar with Kp thresholds by location, cloud cover and a quick guide to choosing where to watch tonight across the Arctic.
The Northern Lights are one of the most extraordinary phenomena that can be observed in the night sky – full of colour, movement, and the magic of nature. If you want to see the Northern Lights in person, here you will find the current aurora forecast, magnetic activity maps, and tips on where and when best to look for them. It’s worth knowing how the Northern Lights form and what causes them to appear even in Poland – we cover this in detail in our article Northern Lights – how they form and the origin of this phenomenon. If, however, you are interested in other extraordinary phenomena visible in the sky – such as noctilucent clouds, sprites, or jellyfish auroras – be sure to check out the post Northern Lights and other phenomena in the night sky. This will help you understand the full context of these remarkable events and know how to prepare for your own sky observations.
NORTHERN LIGHTS
How the Northern Lights Form: Causes, Science, and Origins of the Aurora Borealis
How the northern lights form: solar wind, Earth's magnetic field, oxygen, nitrogen, colors and the atmospheric layers where auroras glow.
To ensure you don’t miss any opportunity, below you will find the forecast for Northern Lights activity for today and tomorrow, updated in real time. You can also use the live map and indicators to plan an aurora watch from the Arctic to lower-latitude locations during stronger geomagnetic activity.
If your browser does not share a location, the tool starts with Tromsø as an Arctic reference point. Use GPS or enter any city for a forecast tailored to your location.
Parameters refresh automatically. The local aurora chance is calculated for your location (GPS or city). If the animation does not load, a static image will be shown.
The indicators consider your location, the local aurora chance and whether it is dark. Aurora Score (Senja, beta): -/100Northern Lights – live radar and parameters
Aurora oval radar – Northern Hemisphere
Conditions assessment
Kp (3h)
Kp (1 min)
Bz (GSM)
Bt (IMF)
Speed
Density
Temperature
Aurora forecast tonight: how to read the live map
If you are checking a northern lights forecast for tonight, do not look at only one number. A useful live forecast combines several signals: the Kp index, the Bz direction, solar-wind speed, cloud cover and local darkness. The northern lights can be active in space, but they will still be invisible from the ground if the sky is cloudy or if you are standing under strong city lights.
The most important quick check is simple: a higher Kp increases the chance of aurora visibility farther from the poles, while a negative Bz can help the solar wind connect with Earth’s magnetic field. At lower latitudes, cloud cover and an open northern horizon are just as important. Before going outside, check the aurora map, local weather, moonlight and whether the sky is open and dark.
- What to check first? Kp, Bz, solar wind, cloud cover and a live aurora map.
- Can you see the northern lights tonight? It depends on local darkness, cloud cover, your latitude and current geomagnetic activity; it is never guaranteed.
- Where to see the aurora? Choose a dark place with a clear northern horizon, away from city lights.
- Are NOAA and OVATION enough? They are helpful, but local weather and clouds decide what you actually see.
Aurora forecast tonight: five checks before you go
Use the live map as a decision tool, not a guarantee. A useful aurora forecast brings together current activity, your location, local sky conditions and the time you can actually observe.
- Set your location first. A global aurora oval is not the same as a local chance of seeing the lights. Check the forecast for the place where you will stand.
- Check cloud cover and darkness. Strong activity above the clouds is still invisible from the ground. Choose an open, dark place with a clear view of the relevant horizon.
- Read Kp with the map, not on its own. Kp describes geomagnetic disturbance; the latitude of your location decides how far from the poles the aurora needs to expand.
- Prefer the short-term signal for a decision tonight. Use the live map and current solar-wind data close to your observation window; treat tonight and tomorrow forecasts as planning guidance, not a promise.
- Give the sky time. Aurora activity can brighten, fade and return. If conditions are good, stay out long enough to watch for changes.
Northern lights forecast FAQ
Does a high Kp guarantee northern lights?
No. A higher Kp can move the aurora farther from the poles, but clouds, daylight, light pollution, terrain and your exact location still decide whether you can see it.
How far ahead can an aurora forecast be trusted?
Use a longer outlook to plan, but use the short-term map and current conditions when deciding whether to go outside tonight. Aurora activity can change quickly as solar-wind conditions change.
Why can a camera show more aurora than my eyes?
A camera can collect light during a longer exposure, so it may reveal faint colour that is difficult to notice with the naked eye. That does not make the forecast wrong; it means the display may be weak for visual observation.
Is every unusual glow in the sky an aurora?
No. Check the live aurora map, cloud conditions and the direction of the glow before treating a photo or a bright horizon as an aurora sighting.
For the underlying space-weather context, see NOAA’s aurora viewing guidance and Aurora Dashboard.
AURORA SCIENCE
Practical explanation
How the Northern Lights Form
Understand what causes the aurora, how solar wind and Earth’s magnetic field interact, and which signals matter before an observation.
Read the science guide
NIGHT SKY
Observation guide
Northern Lights and Other Night-Sky Phenomena
Learn how to tell the aurora apart from noctilucent clouds, sprites and other unusual lights visible in the night sky.
Explore night-sky phenomena
Read also / next
LIVE TOOL
Locations and forecasts
Northern Lights Radar — locations
Choose a location and check current aurora conditions, live parameters and practical links for Arctic and other observation areas.
Open the radar
TRAVEL MAP
Destinations and routes
Travel map — guides and trip planning
Start from the main travel section if you want to connect aurora watching with routes, destinations and step-by-step travel ideas.
Open travel map
NORWAY
Aurora travel direction
Norway travel map
Use the Norway section to plan northern routes, fjords, Arctic locations and trips where aurora hunting can be part of the journey.
Plan NorwayICELAND
Winter and landscapes
Iceland travel map
Explore Iceland routes, winter tips and landscape guides that work naturally with aurora observation planning.
Plan IcelandRead also
GUIDE
OndaTravel guide
Aurora Alerts
An aurora alert should be treated as a signal to check the conditions now: the live radar for your location, Kp, Bz, Bt, the solar wind, cloud cover and the northern…
Open
GUIDE
OndaTravel guide
Northern Lights in the UK — Live Radar and Forecast
Northern Lights in the UK are never guaranteed on any single night — they depend on live geomagnetic activity, cloud cover and how far north you are. This page pulls…
Open
AURORA ALERTS
OndaTravel guide
Aurora Alert UK: How to Check If Tonight Is a Northern Lights Night
If you’ve heard there’s an aurora alert and want to know whether it applies to you tonight, the short version is: there’s no fixed „alert day” you can look up in…
Open
Hi, I’m Krystian “dziadzia przewodnik” from OndaTravel.pl!
The North is my greatest passion, but the world is far too beautiful to stay in just one climate. On my blog, I combine the raw landscapes of Iceland and Norway with the exotic energy of Thailand or Vietnam, showing you how to travel authentically — with passion and a camera in hand.
What will you find on OndaTravel.pl?
Visual storytelling: As a photographer and filmmaker, I don’t just describe places — I take you there with professional photos and video.
North expert: Ready-to-use road trip plans for Iceland and Norway, smart tips for budget travel, and my original Northern Lights Radar (locations and forecast).
Travel through the lens of cinema: I track down filming locations — from icy scenes in Interstellar to tropical frames from world cinema.
New direction: Exotic destinations: I love contrast, so the blog is featuring more and more practical knowledge about Vietnam and Thailand. I’ll show you how to find your way around Southeast Asia and come back with your best memories.
P.S. follow me here
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.