Northern Lights Forecast
for Fort McMurray
Fort McMurray, Canada — about 63° geomagnetic latitude. Northern Alberta.
Can you see the aurora in Fort McMurray?
Yes. From a dark site you need about Kp 3 for a faint glow low on the northern horizon, and roughly Kp 5 for bright aurora directly overhead. At 63° geomagnetic latitude this spot sits on the edge of the oval — you want an active night.
Over the last 12 months the planetary Kp peaked at the levels Fort McMurray needs on the days shown — out of 365. Kp is a global index, so these are the odds the sky was active enough; you still need clear, dark skies here. In 94 years on record the strongest day hit Kp 9.
The full Kp archive, 1932 → today →When to go
The season runs late September to late March, when the nights are long and dark. You also need clear skies and a low moon — even a strong Kp is useless under cloud. Check tonight's live call above, then plan a night around the dark window, cloud and moon.
Nearby in North America
From the bookChasing PinkSeven winters of chasing the northern lights — ten chapters, free to read here.Start reading →