INFORMATION
Understand the forecast.
What Kp, solar wind and the magnetic field mean for the northern lights, and how clouds and darkness affect your view.
START HERE
How to read the northern lights forecast
Bring activity, cloud cover and darkness together before heading outside.
2 min readGEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY
Kp index: what the numbers mean
Understand the 0–9 scale, geomagnetic storms and why your location matters.
2 min readCONDITIONS FROM THE SUN
Solar wind: speed, density and arriving energy
What the km/s reading measures, and why faster wind is only part of the picture.
2 min readMAGNETIC FIELD
Bz and Bt: why magnetic direction matters
Read positive and negative Bz, magnetic strength and the trend over time.
2 min readLOCAL VIEWING CONDITIONS
Clouds, darkness and your view of the sky
Know what cloud percentages mean and find useful dark hours wherever you are.
2 min readTIMING & CONFIDENCE
How far ahead can we forecast?
The difference between the live map, the three-day activity outlook and the seven-night calendar.
2 min read