Kp 2.3estimated · planetary index right now
No geomagnetic storm right now
Quiet to unsettled conditions. Arctic destinations under the auroral oval can still get good displays — storms are a bonus, not a requirement.
Tonight's scores for all 8 destinations
The next three days
- G0 — No storm: Quiet to unsettled. Destinations under the auroral oval can still get good displays.Mon 12 OctKp 4.0 · G0
- G0 — No storm: Quiet to unsettled. Destinations under the auroral oval can still get good displays.Tue 13 OctKp 4.0 · G0
- G1 — Minor storm: Brighter Arctic displays; horizon glow from Scotland and the northern US.Wed 14 OctKp 5.0 · G1
Kp index: the 27-day outlook
Kp 5+ — storm watchKp 3–4 — activeKp 1–2 — quiet
- Mon 12 Oct: max Kp 4 (G0). Decent activity — good displays under the auroral oval if skies cooperate.12
OCT - Tue 13 Oct: max Kp 5 (G1). Storm watch: aurora likely stronger and further south. Re-check the 3-day forecast as this date nears.513
- Wed 14 Oct: max Kp 3 (G0). Decent activity — good displays under the auroral oval if skies cooperate.14
- Thu 15 Oct: max Kp 3 (G0). Decent activity — good displays under the auroral oval if skies cooperate.15
- Fri 16 Oct: max Kp 2 (G0). Quiet sun. Arctic destinations under the oval can still deliver.16
- Sat 17 Oct: max Kp 2 (G0). Quiet sun. Arctic destinations under the oval can still deliver.17
- Sun 18 Oct: max Kp 2 (G0). Quiet sun. Arctic destinations under the oval can still deliver.18
- Mon 19 Oct: max Kp 2 (G0). Quiet sun. Arctic destinations under the oval can still deliver.19
- Tue 20 Oct: max Kp 2 (G0). Quiet sun. Arctic destinations under the oval can still deliver.20
- Wed 21 Oct: max Kp 3 (G0). Decent activity — good displays under the auroral oval if skies cooperate.21
- Thu 22 Oct: max Kp 4 (G0). Decent activity — good displays under the auroral oval if skies cooperate.22
- Fri 23 Oct: max Kp 4 (G0). Decent activity — good displays under the auroral oval if skies cooperate.23
- Sat 24 Oct: max Kp 3 (G0). Decent activity — good displays under the auroral oval if skies cooperate.24
- Sun 25 Oct: max Kp 2 (G0). Quiet sun. Arctic destinations under the oval can still deliver.25
- Mon 26 Oct: max Kp 2 (G0). Quiet sun. Arctic destinations under the oval can still deliver.26
- Tue 27 Oct: max Kp 2 (G0). Quiet sun. Arctic destinations under the oval can still deliver.27
- Wed 28 Oct: max Kp 2 (G0). Quiet sun. Arctic destinations under the oval can still deliver.28
- Thu 29 Oct: max Kp 2 (G0). Quiet sun. Arctic destinations under the oval can still deliver.29
- Fri 30 Oct: max Kp 2 (G0). Quiet sun. Arctic destinations under the oval can still deliver.30
- Sat 31 Oct: max Kp 5 (G1). Storm watch: aurora likely stronger and further south. Re-check the 3-day forecast as this date nears.531
- Sun 1 Nov: max Kp 5 (G1). Storm watch: aurora likely stronger and further south. Re-check the 3-day forecast as this date nears.51
NOV - Mon 2 Nov: max Kp 3 (G0). Decent activity — good displays under the auroral oval if skies cooperate.2
- Tue 3 Nov: max Kp 2 (G0). Quiet sun. Arctic destinations under the oval can still deliver.3
- Wed 4 Nov: max Kp 2 (G0). Quiet sun. Arctic destinations under the oval can still deliver.4
- Thu 5 Nov: max Kp 2 (G0). Quiet sun. Arctic destinations under the oval can still deliver.5
- Fri 6 Nov: max Kp 3 (G0). Decent activity — good displays under the auroral oval if skies cooperate.6
- Sat 7 Nov: max Kp 3 (G0). Decent activity — good displays under the auroral oval if skies cooperate.7
This far out, the outlook only projects the sun's 27-day rotation — recurring coronal holes show up, surprise eruptions don't. Treat green days as a heads-up to watch the 3-day forecast, never as a promise.
The G-scale, translated
| Level | Kp | What it means for aurora watchers |
|---|
| G1 — Minor storm | 5+ | Brighter Arctic displays; horizon glow from Scotland and the northern US. |
| G2 — Moderate storm | 6+ | Strong overhead shows in the Arctic; visible across Scandinavia and Canada. |
| G3 — Strong storm | 7+ | Aurora reaches central Europe and the central US on clear nights. |
| G4 — Severe storm | 8+ | Rare — displays deep into mid-latitudes; Arctic skies can overwhelm cameras. |
| G5 — Extreme storm | 9+ | Historic events (Carrington, May 2024): aurora at tropical latitudes. |
Storm questions
Does a geomagnetic storm guarantee I will see the aurora?
No. A storm pushes the aurora brighter and further from the poles, but clouds, daylight and the midnight sun veto everything. Check your destination’s page — the score already combines the storm with local sky conditions.
How far south can a storm make the aurora visible?
Roughly: G1 reaches the far-northern US and Scotland on the horizon; G3 can reach the central US and Germany; a rare G4–G5 has lit skies as far south as Spain and Texas. Overhead displays still belong to the Arctic destinations.
How far ahead are storms predictable?
About three days with real skill — the time solar wind takes to arrive after an eruption. The 27-day outlook only projects the sun’s rotation; treat its active days as a heads-up, never a promise.
How the rest of the forecast works — darkness, clouds, moonlight — is on the methodology page.