An alert when the aurora can reach your own sky, the hours it is dark enough, and a camera that stacks a sharp shot.
AuroraCue: Aurora ForecastAn alert when the aurora can reach your own sky, the hours it is dark enough, and a camera that stacks a sharp shot.
Northern lights tonight in Virginia
Tonight the forecast peak is Kp 3.7. From northern Virginia: not expected. From Virginia Beach: not expected (too far south for all but extreme storms).
The next three nights
| Night (9 pm to 3 am) | Peak Kp | Northern Virginia | Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wed, Nov 4 | 3.7 | Not expected | Not expected (too far south for all but extreme storms) |
| Thu, Nov 5 | 2.3 | Not expected | Not expected (too far south for all but extreme storms) |
| Fri, Nov 6 | 3.0 | Not expected | Not expected (too far south for all but extreme storms) |
What Virginia needs
The aurora reaches the northern edge of Virginia at about Kp 8.9, and Virginia Beach at more than Kp 9. Kp is NOAA's 0-9 index of geomagnetic activity; the higher it goes, the farther south the aurora can be seen.
How to see it
- Get away from city lights and face north, with a clear view of the horizon.
- The best hours are usually 10 pm to 2 am, and clouds hide everything, so check the sky too.
- A phone camera on a long exposure often shows color the eye misses.
Forecast: NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center 3-day Kp forecast, refreshed every few hours. The visibility rule is approximate.