Can I see the northern lights tonight in England?
Unlikely in England tonight.
NOAA's Kp forecast peaks at 3 during England's dark hours tonight. Across the 60 England cities we cover, the aurora usually reaches the northern horizon at Kp 6 to 8.
Green: NOAA OVATION aurora model, forecast for 03:41 UTC 5 Nov (a 30 to 90 minute nowcast; the oval moves and brightens through the night). Dots: our verdict for tonight from the Kp forecast.
City by city
| City | Mag. lat. | Kp needed horizon / overhead | Peak Kp tonight | Tonight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newcastle upon Tyne | 51.9° | 6 / 8 | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Carlisle | 51.9° | 6 / 8 | 3 | Unlikely |
| Middlesbrough | 51.4° | 6 / 8 | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| York, England | 50.7° | 6 / 8 | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Burnley | 50.5° | 6 / 8 | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Leeds | 50.5° | 6 / 8 | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Preston | 50.5° | 6 / 8 | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Kingston upon Hull | 50.4° | 6 / 8 | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Scunthorpe | 50.2° | 6 / 8 | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Grimsby | 50.2° | 6 / 8 | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Doncaster | 50.2° | 6 / 8 | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Manchester, England | 50.2° | 6 / 8 | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Liverpool | 50.1° | 6 / 8 | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Sheffield | 50.0° | 6 / 8 | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Chester | 49.8° | 7 / 9 | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Lincoln, England | 49.8° | 7 / 9 | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Stoke-on-Trent | 49.6° | 7 / 9 | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Nottingham | 49.5° | 7 / 9 | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Burton upon Trent | 49.3° | 7 / 9 | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Telford | 49.2° | 7 / 9 | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Leicester | 49.1° | 7 / 9 | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Norwich, England | 49.0° | 7 / 9 | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Peterborough, England | 49.0° | 7 / 9 | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Birmingham | 48.9° | 7 / 9 | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Corby | 48.9° | 7 / 9 | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Coventry | 48.8° | 7 / 9 | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Lowestoft | 48.8° | 7 / 9 | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Worcester, England | 48.6° | 7 / 9 | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Cambridge | 48.5° | 7 / 9 | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Milton Keynes | 48.4° | 7 / 9 | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Ipswich | 48.4° | 7 / 9 | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Gloucester | 48.2° | 7 / 9 | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Luton | 48.2° | 7 / 9 | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Colchester | 48.1° | 7 / 9 | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Aylesbury | 48.1° | 7 / 9 | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Oxford | 48.0° | 7 / 9 | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Harlow | 48.0° | 7 / 9 | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Chelmsford | 48.0° | 7 / 9 | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Swindon | 47.8° | 8 / – | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Southend-on-Sea | 47.7° | 8 / – | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Bristol | 47.7° | 8 / – | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Slough | 47.7° | 8 / – | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| London, England | 47.7° | 8 / – | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Reading, England | 47.7° | 8 / – | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Grays | 47.7° | 8 / – | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Saint Peters | 47.5° | 8 / – | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Maidstone | 47.4° | 8 / – | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Guildford | 47.4° | 8 / – | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Crawley | 47.2° | 8 / – | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Taunton | 47.2° | 8 / – | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Folkestone | 47.2° | 8 / – | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Southampton | 47.0° | 8 / – | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Waterlooville | 47.0° | 8 / – | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Brighton | 46.9° | 8 / – | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Exeter | 46.9° | 8 / – | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Bognor Regis | 46.8° | 8 / – | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Eastbourne | 46.8° | 8 / – | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Bournemouth | 46.8° | 8 / – | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Paignton | 46.5° | 8 / – | 2.67 | Unlikely |
| Plymouth | 46.4° | 8 / – | 3 | Unlikely |
Kp needed: the Kp at which the aurora usually reaches the northern horizon, and overhead. Peak Kp: NOAA's highest forecast 3-hour Kp in each city's dark hours tonight.
Kp forecast
NOAA planetary K-index, observed and forecast, in Manchester local time, with Manchester's thresholds.
Questions
Can I see the northern lights tonight in England?
Unlikely at best, from Manchester. NOAA's Kp forecast peaks at 3 during England's dark hours tonight. Across the 60 England cities we cover, the aurora usually reaches the northern horizon at Kp 6 to 8. You also need a clear, dark view to the north.
What Kp do you need to see the northern lights in England?
About Kp 6 in the north of England and Kp 8 in the south to see it low on the northern horizon; stronger storms bring it overhead.
Where is the best place to see it?
Somewhere dark with a clear view north, away from town lights. In England, the further north you go, the lower the Kp you need.
Northern lights tonight in the UK → · Aurora forecast this week
Data: NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (planetary K-index forecast, 3-day forecast, 27-day outlook, OVATION aurora model). Magnetic latitudes: AACGM-v2. Darkness and Moon computed with Skyfield and JPL DE440. We do not forecast clouds: you need a clear view to the north. How the verdict is made.