Aurora visibility tonight depends on geomagnetic activity and clear skies in your area. Here’s a practical, location-based way to check and maximize your chances. Key factors to monitor

• Geomagnetic activity: Look for a forecast of Kp index around 3–5 or higher for potential aurora sightings outside typical polar regions. Higher indices increase the area and duration the aurora might be visible.

• Sky conditions: Clear, dark skies away from light pollution improve visibility. Aim for moonless or crescent moon nights to avoid moonlight washing out faint aurora displays.

• Location: The aurora can be visible from high-latitude regions and reachable parts of the northern United States, southern Canada, and northern Europe when activity is elevated. Check forecasts for your latitude to gauge likelihood.

How to check tonight’s forecast quickly

• Use the official space weather forecast from the Space Weather Prediction Center (NOAA/SWPC). They publish a 3-day outlook including the expected Kp index and local timing windows.

• Look at reputable aurora forecast maps that show real-time or short-term visibility probabilities for your area. These sources typically display regions where auroras may be seen given the current solar wind and geomagnetic conditions.

• Local news or meteocenter apps sometimes summarize aurora potential for the night with the best viewing windows.

Best practices for tonight

• If you’re within reach of Alaska, northern Canada, Scandinavia, or parts of the northern U.S. with elevated geomagnetic activity, step outside between local evening hours and late night (often 10 p.m.–2 a.m. local time) for the best chance. Forecasts commonly highlight these windows when auroras are most likely.

• Dress warmly and give your eyes about 15–20 minutes to adapt to darkness; avoid looking at bright screens while monitoring the sky, to keep night vision sharp.

If you’d like, share your city or region and the exact date/time you plan to observe, and I’ll tailor the tonight’s best viewing window and windows for peak activity based on the latest forecasts.