Northern lights in New York City tonight
United States · latitude 40.7°
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Seeing the aurora from New York City
Honestly, New York City is a long way from the auroral oval, so the lights only reach here during strong storms (about Kp 8+), a handful of times a year. Keep an eye on the live forecast above — but for a trip you can actually plan around, head to one of the destinations below, which sit right under the oval.
Where the aurora is a sure thing
If you want to plan a trip rather than gamble on a storm, these sit under the auroral oval:
All best places to see the northern lights →FAQ — northern lights in New York City
Can you see the northern lights in New York City?
New York City only sees the aurora during strong geomagnetic storms — roughly Kp 8+, which happens a few times a year. For a reliable sighting, head to a destination under the auroral oval.
What Kp do you need to see the aurora in New York City?
Roughly Kp 8 or higher for the lights to reach New York City's latitude and appear low on the northern horizon.
When is the best time to see the northern lights in New York City?
On a dark, clear night around local midnight, away from city lights, ideally near a new Moon. Tonight the sky is properly dark from about 22:28.
Aurora chance is an estimate from the live NOAA Kp forecast and your latitude; the true viewline follows geomagnetic latitude and North America sees the lights a little further south. Always check a live forecast and local cloud cover before heading out.