Chaser Story
From Austin to the Arctic
“Words cannot describe the experience. I was a proud husband who was able to check an item off my wife's bucket list.”
Live Aurora Forecast
KP Index
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Solar Wind
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Bz
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Density
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Bt Total
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3-Day Outlook
Aurora Forecast
--KP Index
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Source: NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center · Updated every 5 min
48-Hour KP History
3-hourly readings · GFZ Potsdam
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Chaser Stories
From the field
Chaser Story
He Drove 15,000 Kilometers for This
“When the aurora appeared, the exhaustion and long distances instantly felt worth it. It was as if nature rewarded my patience.”
Chaser Story
The 24-Hour Aurora Chase
“Seeing the Northern Lights was an unforgettable experience. I was really happy — it was the perfect moment.”
Reference
Understanding the KP Scale
KP Activity Index (0–9)Current: —
0No Activity
1Quiet
2Low
3Moderate
4Good
5Very Good
6Strong
7Extreme
8Exceptional
9Rare
Understanding the Forecast
What Does the KP Index Mean?
The KP index is the single most important number for predicting northern lights visibility. Here's what each level means for aurora chasers.
0–1Quiet
Far north only (67°+)
Aurora confined to high latitudes. Best seen in northern Norway, Iceland, and northern Canada.
2–3Moderate
High latitudes (60–67°)
Activity increasing. Visible from Tromsø, Fairbanks, and southern Iceland on clear nights.
4–5Strong
Mid-latitudes (50–60°)
Good aurora night. Potentially visible from Scotland, southern Scandinavia, and northern US states.
6+Severe
Wide visibility (below 50°)
Geomagnetic storm in progress. Aurora may be seen across much of Northern Europe and North America.
Top Destinations
Best Places to See the Northern Lights
From the Norwegian Arctic to the Alaskan interior — explore live aurora forecasts and local conditions for the world's top aurora destinations.
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Tromsø
Norway
Arctic capital with year-round aurora season and fjord landscapes.
View forecast →
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Reykjavik
Iceland
Europe's westernmost capital, surrounded by lava fields and geothermal hot springs.
View forecast →
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Abisko
Sweden
One of the world's clearest skies sits inside this subarctic national park.
View forecast →
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Fairbanks
Alaska
Right under the auroral oval — one of the best odds on the planet.
View forecast →
🇨🇦
Yellowknife
Canada
The Aurora Capital of North America, with 240+ aurora nights per year.
View forecast →
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Longyearbyen
Svalbard
The world's northernmost settlement — polar night runs for four months.
View forecast →
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Alta
Norway
Home to the world's oldest aurora observatory and the aurora museum.
View forecast →
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Kiruna
Sweden
Gateway to the famous Icehotel and deep inside the Swedish Lapland auroral zone.
View forecast →
How We Forecast
Real-Time Northern Lights Prediction
PolarForecast pulls live data every 5 minutes from NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center and NASA's ACE and DSCOVR satellites positioned at the L1 Lagrange point — giving 15–60 minutes of advance warning before solar wind reaches Earth.
Our 3-day outlook combines NOAA's forecast models with historical KP patterns to give you the best available probability for aurora activity at your chosen destination.
About our data sources →🛰️
DSCOVR & ACE Satellites
Real-time solar wind speed, density, Bz and Bt measurements from 1.5 million km upstream of Earth.
📡
NOAA SWPC Models
3-day geomagnetic storm probability forecasts updated every 5 minutes from the world's leading space weather agency.
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GFZ Potsdam
Ground-based magnetometer network providing precise KP index readings based on 13 global observatories.
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7-Day Extended Outlook
Combines solar cycle patterns and active region monitoring for longer-range aurora planning.
Common Questions
Northern Lights Forecast FAQ
What is the KP index for northern lights?
The KP index (planetary K-index) is a scale from 0 to 9 that measures global geomagnetic activity. A KP of 0 means very quiet conditions, while KP 9 represents an extreme geomagnetic storm. For aurora viewing, a KP of 3 or higher is generally needed at typical high-latitude destinations like Tromsø or Fairbanks. A KP of 5 or more can bring aurora to mid-latitude countries like Scotland or the northern United States.
When is the best time to see the northern lights?
The northern lights are visible whenever skies are dark and geomagnetic activity is present. The optimal window is September through March, when nights are long enough at aurora latitudes. The equinox months of September and March often see heightened geomagnetic activity, improving your odds. Avoid the summer months at high latitudes — the midnight sun keeps skies bright around the clock.
How accurate is the northern lights forecast?
Short-range forecasts (1–3 hours) based on real-time ACE and DSCOVR satellite data are highly reliable. The 3-day outlook uses NOAA SWPC model data and is moderately accurate — useful for planning travel but subject to change. Beyond 7 days, aurora forecasting is inherently uncertain. PolarForecast updates data every 5 minutes from NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center.
What does Bz mean for aurora?
Bz is the north-south component of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). When Bz is negative (pointing south), it connects with Earth's northward-pointing magnetic field and opens a doorway for solar wind particles to pour into the magnetosphere — triggering aurora. A sustained Bz of −5 nT or lower significantly boosts aurora probability, and −20 nT or lower often produces vivid displays even at mid-latitudes.
Want to go deeper? Browse our aurora guides → or visit the Aurora Prediction Centre for full technical data.
Real Sightings
Aurora in the Wild
Photos from the field — real displays captured at high-latitude destinations.