Best time to see the northern lights in Alaska

Alaska gets aurora on 75.9 clear nights in a typical year at Venetie, its strongest of 212 tracked locations. January is the best month at 14.48 of them, and aurora needs Kp 1 or higher, which the planetary index last reached on 7 September 2026. The threshold rises to Kp 8 at the southern end of the state, against Kp 1 at Venetie.

These are typical-year figures: a 1996–2026 planetary Kp record crossed with a 2001–2020 cloud normal. They describe a normal year, not tonight — the live Venetie forecast shows the actual cloud, moon and darkness right now. Check tonight's forecast for Venetie →

🌌 Clear nights a year

75.9

Regular — 75.9 clear nights in a typical year.

🌟 Best month

January

14.48 clear nights in a typical year

⚡ Kp needed

Kp 1–8

Horizon threshold across the state; last reached 7 September 2026

📍 Strongest location

Venetie

Aurora on 75.9 clear nights a year, against 0 at the weakest of 212 tracked locations

Month by month in Alaska

Astronomical darkness, the nights on which planetary Kp reached Kp 1–8 inside that darkness, the same count over the current solar cycle alone, and what the local cloud normal leaves of the long-run figure.

Month	Astronomical darkness	Opportunity nights	Since 2023	Mean cloud	Clear opportunity nights	Moon-free
January	12.28h	27.47	31.76	47.3%	14.48	53.4%
February	9.71h	24.47	29.05	53.5%	11.38	53.1%
March	5.36h	24.67	30.13	42%	14.31	56.3%
April	0.63h on 1.4% of nights	0	0	47.5%	0	—
May	No astronomical darkness	—	—	62.9%	—	—
June	No astronomical darkness	—	—	66.7%	—	—
July	No astronomical darkness	—	—	73.3%	—	—
August	No astronomical darkness	—	—	71.2%	—	—
September	4.35h on 72.9% of nights	15.9	15.47	69.2%	4.9	57.9%
October	8.66h	25.26	23.07	70%	7.58	56.1%
November	11.72h	24.44	23.35	52.9%	11.51	53.7%
December	13.13h	24.74	23.62	52.6%	11.73	52.4%

May, June, July and August never reach astronomical darkness at Venetie, so no Kp value makes them viewable there and they are excluded rather than scored. The state is not uniform in this: 153 of its 212 tracked locations do get some astronomical darkness in at least one of those months.

Opportunity nights are the whole 1996–2026 record. In the current solar cycle alone (since 2023), January has averaged 31.76 rather than 27.47.

January: 12.28h of astronomical darkness a night
January: 27.47 nights reach the Kp threshold inside that darkness
January: 47.3% mean cloud leaves 14.48 of them clear
January: 53.4% of those nights are moon-free

Every tracked location in Alaska

All 212 of them, strongest first. The month column is each location's own best month, not the state's.

Location	Clear nights a year	Best month	Kp needed	Magnetic latitude
Venetie	75.9	January	Kp 1	67.8°
Ambler	74	January	Kp 1	66.1°
Allakaket	71.7	January	Kp 1	66.4°
Alatna	71.6	January	Kp 1	66.4°
Kobuk	70.3	January	Kp 1	66.1°
Shungnak	70.3	January	Kp 1	66°
Chalkyitsik	69.8	March	Kp 1	67.9°
Stevens Village	69.3	March	Kp 1	66.5°
Beaver	69	March	Kp 1	67.1°
Fort Yukon	68.7	March	Kp 1	67.6°
Bettles	68.2	January	Kp 1	66.9°
Livengood	68.2	March	Kp 1	66.1°
Anaktuvuk Pass	68	January	Kp 1	68°
Circle	68	March	Kp 1	67.1°
Eagle	66.2	March	Kp 1	66.6°
Portage Creek	63.8	January	Kp 1	67.3°
Tanana	49.8	January	Kp 2	65.2°
Hughes	49.7	January	Kp 2	65.7°
Noatak	49	January	Kp 2	65.7°
Point Lay	48.5	January	Kp 1	67.7°
Huslia	48.4	January	Kp 2	65°
Selawik	47.9	January	Kp 2	65.3°
Delta Junction	47.8	January	Kp 2	65.2°
Rampart	47.4	January	Kp 2	65.9°
Galena	47	January	Kp 2	64.1°
Ruby	47	January	Kp 2	64.3°
Koyukuk	46.9	January	Kp 2	64.1°
Minto	46.7	January	Kp 2	65.6°
Chicken	46.2	March	Kp 2	65.9°
Nuiqsut	45.6	January	Kp 1	70°
Anderson	45.2	January	Kp 2	64.9°
Atqasuk	45.1	January	Kp 1	69.2°
Healy	45.1	January	Kp 2	64.5°
Nenana	45	January	Kp 2	65.2°
North Pole	45	January	Kp 2	65.6°
Fairbanks	44.9	January	Kp 2	65.6°
Two Rivers	44.9	January	Kp 2	65.8°
Manley Hot Springs	44.8	January	Kp 2	65.3°
Buckland	44.7	January	Kp 2	64.6°
Dot Lake	43.7	January	Kp 2	65.1°
Chistochina	43.4	March	Kp 2	64°
Tetlin	43.2	March	Kp 2	64.9°
Tok	43	March	Kp 2	65°
Tanacross	42.9	March	Kp 2	65°
Slana	42.2	January	Kp 2	64.3°
Lake Minchumina	42.1	January	Kp 2	64°
Northway	42	March	Kp 2	64.8°
Kaktovik	40.9	January	Kp 1	71.1°
Noorvik	40	January	Kp 2	65.4°
Kiana	39.8	January	Kp 2	65.6°
Barrow	38.2	January	Kp 1	70°
Kivalina	37.2	January	Kp 2	65.7°
Wainwright	36.9	January	Kp 1	69°
Deering	36.1	January	Kp 2	64.4°
Kotzebue	35.6	January	Kp 2	65.2°
Shishmaref	30.5	January	Kp 2	64.1°
Point Hope	29.7	January	Kp 2	65.9°
Kaltag	26.3	January	Kp 3	63.4°
Nulato	26.2	January	Kp 3	63.9°
Nikolai	24.8	January	Kp 3	62.9°
Talkeetna	24.4	March	Kp 3	62.9°
Gakona	23.9	March	Kp 3	63.7°
Shaktoolik	23.9	January	Kp 3	63.1°
Koyuk	23.7	January	Kp 3	63.6°
Takotna	23.2	March	Kp 3	62.6°
Willow	22.8	March	Kp 3	62.4°
Elim	22.2	January	Kp 3	63.1°
McGrath	22.2	March	Kp 3	62.6°
Nome	22.1	January	Kp 3	62.5°
White Mountain	22.1	January	Kp 3	63°
Chitina	22	March	Kp 3	63.1°
Valdez	21.5	March	Kp 3	62.4°
Palmer	20.9	January	Kp 3	62.4°
Wasilla	20.9	January	Kp 3	62.3°
Unalakleet	20.4	January	Kp 3	62.7°
Haines	20.2	February	Kp 3	62.4°
Skagway	20.1	February	Kp 3	62.6°
Brevig Mission	18.1	January	Kp 3	63.1°
Teller	18.1	January	Kp 3	63.1°
Yakutat	17.5	February	Kp 3	62°
Saint Michael	17.3	March	Kp 3	62.1°
Stebbins	17.2	January	Kp 3	62.1°
Tatitlek	16.4	March	Kp 3	62.1°
Diomede	14	February	Kp 3	63.2°
Wales	14	January	Kp 3	63.2°
Holy Cross	9.7	January	Kp 4	61.2°
Kalskag	9.6	March	Kp 4	60.5°
Lower Kalskag	9.6	March	Kp 4	60.5°
Shageluk	9.6	January	Kp 4	61.7°
Tuluksak	9.6	March	Kp 4	60°
Upper Kalskag	9.6	March	Kp 4	60.5°
Anvik	9.5	March	Kp 4	61.6°
Russian Mission	9.5	March	Kp 4	60.6°
Grayling	9.4	March	Kp 4	61.9°
Marshall	9.4	March	Kp 4	60.6°
Aniak	9.3	March	Kp 4	60.7°
Chuathbaluk	9.3	March	Kp 4	60.7°
Pilot Station	9.3	March	Kp 4	60.5°
Tyonek	9.3	March	Kp 4	61.6°
Crooked Creek	9.2	March	Kp 4	61.2°
Nondalton	9.1	March	Kp 4	60°
Red Devil	9	March	Kp 4	61.2°
Sleetmute	9	March	Kp 4	61.2°
Stony River	9	March	Kp 4	61.4°
Lime Village	8.8	March	Kp 4	61.1°
Pitkas Point	8.8	March	Kp 4	60.5°
Saint Mary's	8.8	March	Kp 4	60.6°
Mountain Village	8.7	March	Kp 4	60.5°
Anchorage	8.5	November	Kp 4	61.9°
Scammon Bay	8.1	March	Kp 4	60°
Halibut Cove	7.5	October	Kp 4	60.2°
Homer	7.5	October	Kp 4	60.1°
Ninilchik	7.5	March	Kp 4	60.5°
Cordova	7.4	March	Kp 4	61.9°
Eyak	7.4	March	Kp 4	61.9°
Kenai	7.4	March	Kp 4	61.1°
Seward	7.4	November	Kp 4	60.9°
Sitka	7.4	February	Kp 4	60.3°
Soldotna	7.4	March	Kp 4	61°
Wrangell	7.4	February	Kp 4	60.2°
Angoon	7.3	February	Kp 4	60.8°
Girdwood	7.3	November	Kp 4	61.8°
Kake	7.3	February	Kp 4	60.4°
Petersburg	7.3	February	Kp 4	60.4°
Tenakee Springs	7.3	February	Kp 4	61°
Whittier	7.3	November	Kp 4	61.7°
Gustavus	6.9	February	Kp 4	61.5°
Hoonah	6.9	February	Kp 4	61.3°
Juneau	6.9	February	Kp 4	61.6°
Kotlik	6.8	January	Kp 4	61.4°
Nunam Iqua	6.8	January	Kp 4	60.8°
Sheldon Point	6.8	January	Kp 4	60.8°
Alakanuk	6.7	January	Kp 4	61°
Emmonak	6.7	January	Kp 4	61.1°
Gambell	5.2	February	Kp 4	60.9°
Savoonga	5.2	February	Kp 4	61°
Pelican	4.7	October	Kp 4	61°
Aleknagik	3.4	March	Kp 5	58.7°
Dillingham	3.4	March	Kp 5	58.5°
Ekwok	3.3	November	Kp 5	58.9°
Koliganek	3.3	November	Kp 5	59.3°
Levelock	3.3	November	Kp 5	58.8°
New Stuyahok	3.3	November	Kp 5	59°
Goodnews Bay	3	March	Kp 5	58°
Togiak	3	March	Kp 5	58.2°
Twin Hills	3	March	Kp 5	58.2°
Akiachak	2.9	March	Kp 5	59.8°
Akiak	2.9	March	Kp 5	59.8°
Bethel	2.9	March	Kp 5	59.6°
Igiugig	2.9	November	Kp 5	59.1°
Kodiak	2.9	November	Kp 5	58.2°
Kokhanok	2.9	November	Kp 5	59.4°
Kwethluk	2.9	March	Kp 5	59.6°
Larsen Bay	2.9	November	Kp 5	57.7°
Napakiak	2.9	March	Kp 5	59.5°
Napaskiak	2.9	March	Kp 5	59.5°
Old Harbor	2.9	November	Kp 5	57.6°
Platinum	2.9	March	Kp 5	57.9°
Quinhagak	2.9	March	Kp 5	58.6°
Eek	2.8	March	Kp 5	59°
Egegik	2.8	November	Kp 5	57.8°
Iliamna	2.8	November	Kp 5	59.7°
Kasigluk	2.8	March	Kp 5	59.6°
King Salmon	2.8	November	Kp 5	58.4°
Naknek	2.8	November	Kp 5	58.4°
Newhalen	2.8	November	Kp 5	59.7°
Nunapitchuk	2.8	March	Kp 5	59.6°
Ouzinkie	2.8	November	Kp 5	58.4°
Port Lions	2.8	November	Kp 5	58.3°
South Naknek	2.8	November	Kp 5	58.4°
Tuntutuliak	2.8	March	Kp 5	59°
Ketchikan	2.7	October	Kp 5	59.2°
Metlakatla	2.7	October	Kp 5	59°
Saxman	2.7	October	Kp 5	59.2°
Chevak	2.6	March	Kp 5	59.7°
Craig	2.6	October	Kp 5	59.1°
Hydaburg	2.6	October	Kp 5	58.9°
Kasaan	2.6	October	Kp 5	59.3°
Klawock	2.6	October	Kp 5	59.2°
Thorne Bay	2.6	October	Kp 5	59.4°
Clark's Point	2.5	November	Kp 5	58.3°
Coffman Cove	2.5	October	Kp 5	59.7°
Manokotak	2.5	November	Kp 5	58.3°
Seldovia	2.5	November	Kp 5	59.9°
Karluk	2.4	November	Kp 5	57.7°
Pilot Point	2.3	November	Kp 5	57.2°
Port Alexander	2.3	October	Kp 5	59.6°
Chefornak	2.2	March	Kp 5	58.6°
Nightmute	2.2	November	Kp 5	58.8°
Toksook Bay	2.2	November	Kp 5	58.8°
Tununak	2.2	November	Kp 5	58.9°
Kwigillingok	2	October	Kp 5	58.5°
Akhiok	1.8	September	Kp 5	57.1°
Hooper Bay	1.7	March	Kp 5	59.6°
Kipnuk	1.7	October	Kp 5	58.4°
Mekoryuk	1.7	March	Kp 5	58.5°
Chignik	0.8	November	Kp 6	55.9°
Chignik Lagoon	0.8	November	Kp 6	55.8°
Chignik Lake	0.8	November	Kp 6	55.8°
Sand Point	0.8	November	Kp 6	54.6°
Port Heiden	0.7	November	Kp 6	56.4°
Saint George	0.4	November	Kp 6	54.4°
Saint Paul	0.4	November	Kp 6	54.8°
Cold Bay	0.3	March	Kp 6	54.1°
King Cove	0.3	March	Kp 6	54°
Nelson Lagoon	0.3	March	Kp 6	55.1°
False Pass	0.2	November	Kp 7	53.7°
Unalaska	0.2	November	Kp 7	52.2°
Adak	0.1	November	Kp 8	48.8°
Akutan	0.1	November	Kp 7	52.6°
Nikolski	0.1	November	Kp 7	51°
Atka	0	November	Kp 8	49.5°

How these numbers were made

Evaluated at: Venetie, 67.0083° N 146.3667° W — darkness and cloud are properties of that point, not of a region.
Darkness: sun geometric altitude at or below -18 degrees (astronomical twilight). 10-minute samples across every year of the Kp record (1996-2026), averaged per night of each month rather than sampled on one representative day.
Geomagnetic record: GFZ Potsdam planetary Kp index, 3-hourly, 1996-01-01 to 2026-09-07 — 89,661 intervals, licensed CC BY 4.0.
Cloud: NASA POWER SYN1DEG 20-year Meteorological and Solar Monthly & Annual Climatologies (January 2001 - December 2020), parameter CLOUD_AMT. A monthly mean, not a forecast.
Moon: A night counts as moon-free below 35% lunar illumination while the moon is up.
Auroral oval: NOAA auroral oval — model estimate, reported separately. The figure for this location is above, beside the measured record it never replaces.
Clear opportunity nights: clear opportunity nights = nights on which at least one 3-hour Kp interval falls inside local astronomical darkness and reaches the location’s horizon threshold, scaled by (1 - monthly mean cloud amount)
Dataset version: Version 2026-09-07, computed offline by seo-ops scripts/aurora-usa-best-time-data.ts.

The same dataset for every tracked city and state is published at US Aurora Season Climatology, and how the live forecast is built is on the methodology page. Kp record: GFZ Potsdam (CC BY 4.0). Cloud normal: NASA POWER.

Frequently asked questions

When can you see the northern lights in Alaska?

January is the best month, with 14.48 clear nights in a typical year out of 75.9 clear nights across the whole year. Every month except April, May, June, July and August carries some chance. May, June, July and August never reach astronomical darkness, so no Kp value makes them viewing months.

What Kp is needed to see the aurora from Alaska?

Alaska needs Kp 1 or higher for aurora on the northern horizon, Kp 2 for a noticeable display and Kp 3 for a bright one. Across the state that horizon threshold runs from Kp 1 in the north to Kp 8 in the south. The NOAA auroral-oval model places the oval overhead at Alaska once the planetary index reaches Kp 1. That is a model estimate; the dates on this page come from the measured Kp record instead.

Has the aurora ever been visible from Alaska?

Yes. In the 1996–2026 planetary Kp record the index reached the horizon threshold for Alaska, Kp 1, most recently on 7 September 2026, and the Kp 2 needed for a noticeable display on 30 March 2026. Whether anyone saw it also depended on the cloud, moonlight and darkness of that night, which the Kp record does not carry.