Aurora Forecast Tonight in Fort McMurray
Aurora season in Fort McMurray runs from September to April.
Tonight's Forecast
Moderate
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How we calculate the aurora score
ModerateWe combine geomagnetic activity (Kp), aurora oval probability (OVATION), cloud cover, darkness and moonlight, weighted for Fort McMurray (region: high_latitude).
Score 0–19. Conditions strongly limit aurora visibility.
Score 20–44. A faint aurora is possible only under perfect conditions.
Score 45–64. Aurora may be visible to alert observers in dark, clear skies.
Score 65–84. A good chance of a visible aurora display.
Score 85–100. Excellent odds — plan to be outside tonight.
Aurora visibility in Fort McMurray is moderate tonight. Northern Lights may be visible if geomagnetic activity holds and local skies remain clear.
Max Kp
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Max Kp
Near thresholdKp is close to the minimum needed — a faint aurora may appear low on the horizon.
1.7
Near threshold
Cloud Cover
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Cloud Cover
Clear skiesUp to 25% cloud — excellent visibility.
12%
Clear skies
Moon
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Moon
Bright moonOver 75% illuminated — only strong displays will be visible.
80%
Bright moon
OVATION
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OVATION
Elevated20–40% probability — aurora likely if skies are clear.
20%
Elevated
Best Viewing Window
11:00 PM – 1:00 AM
Best balance of darkness, geomagnetic activity and local sky conditions.
Direction to Look
Overhead or north
This is a high-latitude location, so aurora may appear overhead or toward the northern sky.
Recommendation
Watch the forecast and be ready to go outside if Kp rises or cloud cover improves.
Hour-by-hour visibility
Estimated aurora visibility score for each hour of tonight at Fort McMurray.
10:00 PM
39/100Max Kp
1.7
Cloud Cover
3%
Moon
80%
OVATION
20%
60
11:00 PM
60/100Max Kp
1.7
Cloud Cover
2%
Moon
80%
OVATION
20%
58
12:00 AM
58/100Max Kp
1.7
Cloud Cover
13%
Moon
80%
OVATION
20%
1:00 AM
56/100Max Kp
1.7
Cloud Cover
23%
Moon
80%
OVATION
20%
2:00 AM
53/100Max Kp
1.3
Cloud Cover
20%
Moon
80%
OVATION
20%
Best viewing window: 11:00 PM – 1:00 AM. Peak around 11:00 PM with a visibility score of 60/100.
Why this forecast?
There is a moderate chance of visible aurora tonight. Some conditions are favorable, but clouds, moonlight or geomagnetic activity may still limit visibility.
Score breakdown
How tonight's aurora score for Fort McMurray breaks down into activity and visibility components.
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Geomagnetic activity
7 / 30Geomagnetic activity (Kp 1.7) contribution to the score.
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Aurora oval probability
18 / 30OVATION aurora oval probability (20%) contribution.
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Cloud cover
17 / 20Cloud cover (14%) contribution — clear skies score full points.
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Darkness
15 / 15Sky darkness contribution — astronomical darkness scores full points.
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Moonlight
1 / 5Moon illumination (80%) contribution — new moon scores full points.
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Aurora zone
+5 ptsLatitude/zone bonus for Fort McMurray.
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Geomagnetic activity (Kp index)
Near thresholdKp measures how disturbed Earth's magnetic field is on a 0–9 scale. Higher Kp pushes the aurora oval toward the equator. Fort McMurray needs Kp ≥ 2.5.
Kp is below the minimum needed at this latitude.
Kp is close to the minimum needed — a faint aurora may appear low on the horizon.
Kp meets the threshold for visible aurora here.
Kp is comfortably above the local threshold.
Storm-level Kp ≥ 5 — aurora can be seen far south of its usual zone.
Near threshold
Geomagnetic activity is only marginal for Fort McMurray: expected Kp is 1.7, while this location usually needs around 2.5.
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Cloud cover
Clear skiesAverage cloud cover during the best viewing window. Clear skies are essential — even thin overcast hides the aurora.
Up to 25% cloud — excellent visibility.
25–50% cloud — aurora may peek through gaps.
50–85% cloud — most of the sky is blocked.
Over 85% cloud — aurora effectively hidden.
Clear skies
Skies are mostly clear, which is favorable for seeing the aurora.
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Sky darkness
Astronomical darknessAurora is faint and needs a dark sky. Astronomical darkness (sun more than 18° below horizon) is ideal.
Sun stays above 6° below horizon all night — no aurora-friendly darkness.
Sun 6–12° below horizon — too bright for faint aurora.
Sun 12–18° below horizon — sky is dark but not fully astronomical.
Sun more than 18° below the horizon — fully dark sky.
Astronomical darkness
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Moon illumination
Bright moonA bright moon washes out faint aurora colours. New moon is ideal; full moon hides everything but the strongest displays.
Less than 25% illuminated — minimal interference.
25–75% illuminated — faint aurora may be washed out.
Over 75% illuminated — only strong displays will be visible.
Bright moon
Moon is 80% illuminated — expect washed-out faint aurora.
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Aurora oval probability (OVATION)
ElevatedNOAA's OVATION model estimates the chance of aurora visible overhead within a 250 km radius of you.
Less than 5% probability — aurora unlikely to reach this location.
5–20% probability — aurora possible.
20–40% probability — aurora likely if skies are clear.
Over 40% probability — aurora very likely overhead.
Elevated
The short-term aurora model shows a strong signal near this location.
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Aurora zone
Good zoneHow favourable Fort McMurray's latitude is for aurora viewing in general — independent of tonight's conditions.
Lower latitude — aurora is rare and requires a major storm.
Mid-latitude — aurora visible only during moderate-to-strong storms.
High-latitude region — aurora is visible on most active nights.
Directly under the auroral oval — aurora is a regular occurrence.
Good zone
Fort McMurray is in a good aurora region, where aurora is possible during moderate geomagnetic activity.
Data sources
- · NOAA SWPC Kp forecast
- · NOAA OVATION aurora model
- · Open-Meteo cloud forecast
Aurora Forecast AI Tracker
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Best Months to See the Northern Lights in Fort McMurray
The aurora season in Fort McMurray usually runs from September to April.
Fort McMurray sits at 63.3° magnetic latitude, which means aurora typically becomes visible when the Kp index reaches 2.5+. As a high-latitude location, sightings are frequent during peak solar activity. The best time to visit for dark skies is typically between September and April.