✦ Aurora Forecast AI

Aurora Forecast Tonight in Alta

Aurora season in Alta runs from September to April.

Tonight's Forecast

Moderate

?

How we calculate the aurora score

Moderate

We combine geomagnetic activity (Kp), aurora oval probability (OVATION), cloud cover, darkness and moonlight, weighted for Alta (region: auroral_oval).

With current Kp 5.0 (location needs ≥ 1) and 82% cloud cover, aurora may be visible at Alta from a dark spot, once your eyes have adjusted.

Unlikely 0-19

Score 0–19. Conditions strongly limit aurora visibility.

Low 20-44

Score 20–44. A faint aurora is possible only under perfect conditions.

Moderate 45-64

Score 45–64. Aurora may be visible to alert observers in dark, clear skies.

High 65-84

Score 65–84. A good chance of a visible aurora display.

Very High 85-100

Score 85–100. Excellent odds — plan to be outside tonight.

Moderate chance tonight. Aurora may be visible from a dark spot if the sky stays clear.

Aurora Score 60 /100

Aurora activity may be favorable near Alta, but cloud cover could make the Northern Lights difficult or impossible to see.

With current Kp 5.0 (location needs ≥ 1) and 82% cloud cover, aurora may be visible at Alta from a dark spot, once your eyes have adjusted.

Max Kp

?

Max Kp

Strong for this location

Kp is comfortably above the local threshold.

5.0

Strong for this location

Cloud Cover

?

Cloud Cover

Cloudy

50–85% cloud — most of the sky is blocked.

59%

Cloudy

Moon

?

Moon

Bright moon

Over 75% illuminated — only strong displays will be visible.

77%

Bright moon

OVATION

?

OVATION

Moderate

5–20% probability — aurora possible.

14%

Moderate

🕐

Best Viewing Window

12:00 AM – 2:00 AM

Best balance of darkness, geomagnetic activity and local sky conditions.

🧭

Direction to Look

N E S W

Overhead or north

Min Kp 1 Lat 70.0°

This location is close to the auroral oval, so aurora may appear overhead during stronger activity.

Recommendation

Cloud cover is the main problem tonight. Wait for breaks in the clouds before going out.

Hour-by-hour visibility

Estimated aurora visibility score for each hour of tonight at Alta.

60

11:00 PM

60/100

11:00 PM: 60/100 — moderate

Max Kp

3.7

Cloud Cover

81%

Moon

77%

OVATION

14%

65

12:00 AM

65/100

12:00 AM: 65/100 — high

Max Kp

5.0

Cloud Cover

59%

Moon

77%

OVATION

14%

67

1:00 AM

67/100

1:00 AM: 67/100 — high

Max Kp

5.0

Cloud Cover

50%

Moon

77%

OVATION

14%

63

2:00 AM

63/100

2:00 AM: 63/100 — moderate

Max Kp

5.0

Cloud Cover

68%

Moon

77%

OVATION

14%

62

3:00 AM

62/100

3:00 AM: 62/100 — moderate

Max Kp

4.7

Cloud Cover

72%

Moon

77%

OVATION

14%

11:00 PM
12:00 AM
1:00 AM
2:00 AM
3:00 AM

Best viewing window: 12:00 AM – 2:00 AM. Peak around 1:00 AM with a visibility score of 67/100.

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 Alta breaks down into activity and visibility components.

Geomagnetic activity
?

Geomagnetic activity

30 / 30

Geomagnetic activity (Kp 5.0) contribution to the score.

30 / 30
Aurora oval probability
?

Aurora oval probability

10 / 30

OVATION aurora oval probability (14%) contribution.

10 / 30
Cloud cover
?

Cloud cover

4 / 20

Cloud cover (82%) contribution — clear skies score full points.

4 / 20
Darkness
?

Darkness

15 / 15

Sky darkness contribution — astronomical darkness scores full points.

15 / 15
Moonlight
?

Moonlight

1 / 5

Moon illumination (77%) contribution — new moon scores full points.

1 / 5
Aurora zone
?

Aurora zone

+10 pts

Latitude/zone bonus for Alta.

+10 pts
Aurora activity 78 / 100
Sky visibility 49 / 100
Final score 60 / 100
✓
Geomagnetic activity 5.0 / 1
?

Geomagnetic activity (Kp index)

Strong for this location

Kp measures how disturbed Earth's magnetic field is on a 0–9 scale. Higher Kp pushes the aurora oval toward the equator. Alta needs Kp ≥ 1.

Below threshold

Kp is below the minimum needed at this latitude.

Near threshold

Kp is close to the minimum needed — a faint aurora may appear low on the horizon.

Enough for this location

Kp meets the threshold for visible aurora here.

Strong for this location

Kp is comfortably above the local threshold.

Geomagnetic storm

Storm-level Kp ≥ 5 — aurora can be seen far south of its usual zone.

Strong for this location

Expected Kp 5.0 is comfortably above the 1 Alta usually needs, so the oval should reach well past this latitude if the sky cooperates.

×
Cloud cover 59%
?

Cloud cover

Cloudy

Average cloud cover during the best viewing window. Clear skies are essential — even thin overcast hides the aurora.

Clear skies

Up to 25% cloud — excellent visibility.

Partly cloudy

25–50% cloud — aurora may peek through gaps.

Cloudy

50–85% cloud — most of the sky is blocked.

Overcast

Over 85% cloud — aurora effectively hidden.

Cloudy

Cloud cover is high tonight, which can block the view even if aurora activity is present.

✓
Darkness astronomical
?

Sky darkness

Astronomical darkness

Aurora is faint and needs a dark sky. Astronomical darkness (sun more than 18° below horizon) is ideal.

No dark window

Sun stays above 6° below horizon all night — no aurora-friendly darkness.

Civil twilight

Sun 6–12° below horizon — too bright for faint aurora.

Nautical twilight

Sun 12–18° below horizon — sky is dark but not fully astronomical.

Astronomical darkness

Sun more than 18° below the horizon — fully dark sky.

Astronomical darkness

The sky reaches full astronomical darkness tonight — the sun more than 18° below the horizon, dark enough for even a faint aurora.

×
Moonlight 77%
?

Moon illumination

Bright moon

A bright moon washes out faint aurora colours. New moon is ideal; full moon hides everything but the strongest displays.

Dark moon

Less than 25% illuminated — minimal interference.

Moderate moonlight

25–75% illuminated — faint aurora may be washed out.

Bright moon

Over 75% illuminated — only strong displays will be visible.

Bright moon

Moon is 77% illuminated — expect washed-out faint aurora.

•
Aurora oval probability 14%
?

Aurora oval probability (OVATION)

Moderate

NOAA's OVATION model estimates the chance of aurora visible overhead within a 250 km radius of you.

Low

Less than 5% probability — aurora unlikely to reach this location.

Moderate

5–20% probability — aurora possible.

Elevated

20–40% probability — aurora likely if skies are clear.

High

Over 40% probability — aurora very likely overhead.

Moderate

The aurora oval probability is moderate for this location tonight, so activity may be close by if the sky is clear.

✓
Aurora zone Excellent zone
?

Aurora zone

Excellent zone

How favourable Alta's latitude is for aurora viewing in general — independent of tonight's conditions.

Low zone

Lower latitude — aurora is rare and requires a major storm.

Fair zone

Mid-latitude — aurora visible only during moderate-to-strong storms.

Good zone

High-latitude region — aurora is visible on most active nights.

Excellent zone

Directly under the auroral oval — aurora is a regular occurrence.

Excellent zone

Alta is in a prime aurora zone, so aurora can be visible during regular activity when skies are dark and clear.

Data sources

How this forecast works

3-Day Aurora Forecast for Alta

Tonight

Moderate

Max Kp5.0
Cloud Cover82%
Moon77%

12:00 AM–2:00 AM

Tomorrow night

Moderate

Max Kp4.7
Cloud Cover69%
Moon66%

2:00 AM–4:00 AM

In 2 nights

Moderate

Max Kp3.7
Cloud Cover82%

10:00 PM–12:00 AM

Aurora Forecast AI Tracker

Get aurora alerts for Alta

Save Alta in Aurora Forecast AI Tracker to follow the local Northern Lights forecast, hourly aurora visibility and best viewing window. Get notified when Kp activity, darkness and cloud cover create better chances to see the aurora.

  • Smart aurora alerts
  • Best viewing window
  • Hourly forecast
  • Saved locations
Download Aurora Forecast AI Tracker on the App StoreGet Aurora Forecast AI Tracker on Google Play

Best Months to See the Northern Lights in Alta

Best: September to April Peak: January, February, March, October, November and December
September October November December January February March April

The aurora season in Alta usually runs from September to April.

Hours of darkness in Alta

Dark hours per night
January February March April May June July August September October November December
12.79.54.80.00.00.00.00.00.08.011.813.5

Polar night: 25 November – 17 January

Midnight sun: 18 May – 26 July

No astronomical darkness: 26 March – 17 September

Other aurora viewing spots near Alta

🇳🇴

Hammerfest

Finnmark

🇳🇴

Kautokeino

Finnmark

🇳🇴

Lakselv

Finnmark

🇳🇴

Karasjok

Finnmark

🇫🇮

Kilpisjärvi

Lapland

🇫🇮

Utsjoki

Lapland

🇳🇴

Honningsvåg

Finnmark

🇳🇴

Tromsø

Troms

🇫🇮

Inari

Lapland

🇫🇮

Ivalo

Lapland

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you see the Northern Lights in Alta tonight?

Often, yes. Alta is at 67.5° geomagnetic latitude, inside the ring where aurora is most frequent, so cloud and darkness decide your night rather than activity.

What Kp index is needed to see the Northern Lights in Alta?

There is no threshold to clear at 67.5° geomagnetic. Kp describes how far the oval reaches, and Alta is already inside it, so the number matters less here than cloud and darkness.

What is the best time to see the Northern Lights in Alta?

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 Alta?

September to April, with October to March the strongest stretch — around midsummer Alta 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 Alta?

The best places to see the Northern Lights in Alta are dark areas away from city lights, with a clear view toward the northern horizon.