Northern lights forecast · next 4 weeks in Fairbanks
KP CODE REDGet a text when everything lines up for a big aurora night, early enough to fly up.Conditions change fast. The more nights you plan, the better your odds. Nights more than a couple of days out say "Too early" on purpose: no forecast can call them yet.
Also in the sky
On this date in aurora history
Why ANN is different: it goes deeper
Most aurora apps are a Kp number and an oval on a map. But in Fairbanks the aurora is overhead on most dark nights, and what decides your night is everything else: the clouds, the darkness, the moon, and what the sky is actually doing right now. ANN pulls all of it together, checks it against the real sky, and gives you one plain answer. First night out or your hundredth, it's built for you.
Clouds first, not just Kp
Three weather models are blended together, then checked against satellite scans and airport weather reports. When the real sky disagrees with the models, the next few hours are corrected.
Thin cloud isn't overcast
A weather model counts a thin veil of high ice cloud the same as a thick low deck, and calls the night 100% cloudy. Stars and the aurora shine right through that veil. ANN weighs cloud by its height, so a high, thin layer no longer reads as a lost night.
The Sun, right now
Kp is a three-hour, worldwide average. ANN leads with the live solar wind, including the moment its magnetic field turns south, which usually wakes the aurora up, and shows how long it takes to reach Earth.
Eyes on the sky
The all-sky camera and the weather cameras are checked after dark for aurora. Town lights on low cloud, glare and twilight are screened out, and a single odd frame never counts.
Ground truth from the crew
Built in Fairbanks by Aurora In Alaska's guides, who chase clear sky every night of the season. When the crew sees weather the data can't, they add a call of their own.
Simple on top, deep underneath
New to the northern lights? Read the call at the top, from "Go out tonight" to "Not tonight." Chasing seriously? Bz, solar wind, Kp, cloud by the hour, darkness, moon and the cameras are all one tap away. Free, no ads, and it never promises the aurora.
Fairbanks & Alaska aurora forecast · questions
Can I see the northern lights in Fairbanks tonight?
The call at the top of this page answers that, updated every 5 minutes from SkyCommand. Three things decide it: a dark sky, a clear sky and some activity from the Sun. Fairbanks sits right under the aurora oval, so on clear, dark nights the aurora is common even when activity is quiet.
What Kp do you need to see the aurora in Fairbanks?
Not much. Because Fairbanks is under the aurora oval, the lights are often overhead at Kp 1 to 3. Kp is a three-hour, worldwide average; what the solar wind is doing right now, especially when its magnetic field turns south, often matters more here. Why Kp isn't the whole story.
What time can I see the northern lights tonight?
Viewing hours in Fairbanks are roughly 10 PM to 3 AM, and activity is often strongest around midnight to 2 AM. The aurora comes in waves, so a quiet hour can turn into a bright one fast. Tonight's darkness, moon and sky are shown above, and the call updates every 5 minutes.
Is this an aurora forecast for all of Alaska?
ANN is built for Fairbanks and Interior Alaska, the most reliable part of the state for the northern lights because it sits under the aurora oval. The solar activity ANN shows applies statewide, but your own darkness and clouds decide what you see, and places farther south in Alaska usually need stronger activity than Fairbanks does.
How far ahead can the aurora be forecast?
The solar wind is measured about 1.5 million km upstream of Earth, which gives roughly 30 to 90 minutes of warning; ANN shows how long the current wind takes to arrive. NOAA forecasts Kp three days out. Beyond that it's an outlook, which is why far-off nights are labeled as early looks rather than forecasts.
What if it's cloudy in Fairbanks?
Clouds over Interior Alaska are often patchy, so clear sky can be within reach even when town is overcast. Tonight's call takes clouds into account. Aurora In Alaska's guides chase clear sky every night of the season.
How is ANN different from other aurora apps?
It goes deeper than the aurora. Most apps are built on NOAA's Kp number and aurora oval model. ANN adds everything that decides a night in Fairbanks: three cloud models blended and checked against GOES-18 satellite scans and six airport weather stations, cloud weighed by height (thin high cloud doesn't block the aurora), 37 weather cameras plus an all-sky camera checked for aurora after dark, the live solar wind ahead of Kp, and ground truth from Aurora In Alaska's guides, who are out every night. It all comes down to one plain call for beginners, with every reading one tap away for seasoned chasers.
When is aurora season in Fairbanks?
Roughly late August to mid-April, when nights are dark enough. Use Plan my trip to compare months, darkness, moon and clear-night history for your dates.