Northern lights in Wellington tonight
New Zealand · latitude -41.3°
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Seeing the aurora from Wellington
Honestly, Wellington 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 Wellington
Can you see the northern lights in Wellington?
Wellington 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 Wellington?
Roughly Kp 8 or higher for the lights to reach Wellington's latitude and appear low on the southern horizon.
When is the best time to see the northern lights in Wellington?
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 18:47.
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.