Aurora forecast · 2026-10-16

Northern lights tonight in New Hampshire: unlikely

Unlikely tonight. Kp forecast tonight up to 2.7; the northernmost city here needs 6.9.

CityTonightKp neededCloudsDarkMoon
Concord, New HampshireUnlikely6.955 %7:03 PM–6:02 AM33 %
Planetary Kp index: last two days and NOAA's 3-day forecast
123
ObservedForecast

Where to look in New Hampshire

At this latitude the aurora appears low on the northern horizon during geomagnetic storms (Kp 7 or more), often as a green or reddish glow rather than dancing curtains overhead. Drive away from the city lights to a place with an open view to the north – a lake shore, a field or a hilltop – and use a phone camera in night mode, which picks up color the eye misses.

A bright moon and haze both wash out a faint display; check the hourly cloud cover above and look again later in the evening, when NOAA's short-term OVATION model gives a better picture of the next hour.

FAQ

Northern lights in New Hampshire

Can I see the northern lights in New Hampshire tonight?

Unlikely: unlikely tonight. Concord needs about Kp 6.9; the forecast for its dark hours tonight is up to Kp 2.7, with 55 % cloud cover on average.

What Kp is needed to see the aurora in New Hampshire?

Concord: about Kp 6.9 (geomagnetic latitude 52.4°).

What is the best time to see the aurora?

Usually between about 10 PM and 2 AM local time, when your part of the Earth faces the night-side of the auroral oval – but during a strong storm it can appear as soon as it is dark. Give your eyes 15–20 minutes away from screens and lights.

Why can my phone see the aurora when I can't?

A phone camera's long exposure collects far more light than the eye and sees color better in the dark. At lower latitudes a faint aurora often looks grey or white to the eye and green or pink on a 3-second phone shot – try night mode pointed north.

How accurate is the forecast?

Kp forecasts a day or more ahead come from observations of the Sun and are uncertain by a step or two; the timing of a storm's arrival can be off by many hours. The OVATION model is good for the next 30–90 minutes. Check the page again in the evening.

More

Nearby

Sources: NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (planetary Kp index and 3-day forecast, OVATION aurora model, G-scale outlook), Open-Meteo hourly cloud cover; sun and moon computed by 77.today. The aurora is notoriously hard to forecast beyond an hour or two – treat this as a guide.

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