Manitoba: Northern Lights Tonight, City by City
Aurora season in Manitoba runs from September to April.
Manitoba tonight
High
Best aurora chance tonight, Manitoba: High. Best place: Thompson, 11:00 PM–3:00 AM.
Aurora Forecast AI Tracker
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Track the aurora forecast for Manitoba with hourly visibility, cloud cover and geomagnetic activity. Save nearby viewing spots, check the best time to look for the Northern Lights, and receive alerts when local conditions improve.
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Manitoba in numbers
- Cities on this site
- 6
- Latitude
- 49.5°–58.8°
- Geomagnetic latitude
- 58.4°–67.2°
- Min Kp
- 1–4
- Aurora zone
- Auroral oval – High latitude
Best Months to See the Northern Lights in Manitoba
The aurora season in Manitoba usually runs from September to April.
Where the odds are best in Manitoba
| Place | Aurora zone | Min Kp | Geomagnetic latitude | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇨🇦ChurchillManitoba | Auroral oval | 1 | 67.2° | September to March |
| 🇨🇦ThompsonManitoba | Auroral oval | 2 | 64.2° | September to April |
| 🇨🇦WinnipegManitoba | High latitude | 4 | 58.7° | September to April |
| 🇨🇦Portage la PrairieManitoba | High latitude | 4 | 58.6° | September to April |
| 🇨🇦BrandonManitoba | High latitude | 4 | 58.4° | September to April |
| 🇨🇦SteinbachManitoba | High latitude | 4 | 58.4° | September to April |
Other regions in Canada
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you see the Northern Lights in Manitoba tonight?
Manitoba: it depends on where you are and on tonight's sky. Churchill needs about Kp 1; Steinbach needs about Kp 4. On top of that it takes a clear, dark sky — cloud blocks aurora at any Kp. The table at the top of this page has tonight's forecast city by city.
What Kp index is needed to see the Northern Lights in Manitoba?
Manitoba has no single number. The higher the Kp, the further from the pole the auroral oval reaches, so the threshold rises with distance from the pole: Churchill needs about Kp 1, Steinbach about Kp 4. Each city's page gives its own threshold.
What is the best time to see the Northern Lights in Manitoba?
Between about 22:00 and 02:00, around magnetic midnight. This far north the limit is daylight: September to April gives dark hours to use, and around midsummer there are none at all.
What are the best months to see the Northern Lights in Manitoba?
September to April, with November to February the strongest stretch — around midsummer Manitoba gets no astronomical darkness at all. Activity runs all year and tilts a little higher near the March and September equinoxes, a shift in the odds rather than a promise.
Where is the best place to see the Northern Lights in Manitoba?
Manitoba: of the places in this list, Churchill needs the least — about Kp 1 — while Steinbach needs about Kp 4. Wherever you are, a dark sky away from city lights matters more than the exact spot.