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Northern lights forecast for Alaska
Much of interior and northern Alaska lies near the auroral oval, so the aurora can be seen there even when Kp is low, as long as it is dark and clear. Anchorage and Juneau usually need a higher Kp. Search for your town in the forecast to see tonight’s chance, darkness and cloud cover.
Check tonight’s forecast for your town
Kp needed in Alaska
Worked out with NOAA’s rule of thumb (the oval edge is near 66° geomagnetic latitude at Kp 0 and moves about 2° per Kp step, NOAA SWPC) and the 2025 geomagnetic pole position (NOAA NCEI). Alaska is far from the geomagnetic pole, which sits off north-west Greenland, so its geomagnetic latitudes are lower than its geographic ones:
| Town | Geomagnetic latitude | Kp for aurora overhead (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Fairbanks | 65.7° | 0.2 |
| Anchorage | 61.9° | 2.0 |
| Juneau | 61.6° | 2.2 |
| Utqiaġvik | 70.1° | 0 (under the usual oval) |
| Nome | 62.6° | 1.7 |
| Kodiak | 58.3° | 3.9 |
The values are approximate. NOAA notes that the auroral oval can be seen from up to about 1,000 km away when the aurora is bright, low on the horizon, so towns further south can see it at a lower Kp than shown.
When to look in Alaska
Alaska has very light summer nights, and NOAA notes that summer aurora trips to high latitudes usually fail because it does not get dark. From late August the nights get darker again. Our forecast calculates tonight’s darkness for your exact place. The best hours are usually around local midnight (best time).
Clouds matter as much as Kp. The forecast shows the cloud cover expected while it is dark.
Aurora guides
Questions and answers
Can you see the northern lights in Anchorage?
Yes, but Anchorage usually needs more activity than Fairbanks. With NOAA’s rule of thumb it needs roughly the Kp shown in the table for aurora overhead, and less to see it low in the northern sky.
Is Fairbanks good for the northern lights?
Fairbanks lies close to the usual auroral oval, so aurora can be seen there on many dark, clear nights even when Kp is low.
Which way should I look in Alaska?
Look north, towards a low, open horizon. During strong activity the aurora can spread overhead and to the south.