Aurora Forecast: Borealis

Is tonight worth stepping outside for the northern lights? This aurora forecast shows your chance of aurora overhead right now, a plain one-line verdict that also checks whether your sky is dark enough, and the Kp index, all for your location.

Tonight at a glance
• Your chance of aurora overhead now, from the NOAA OVATION aurora model, for your location
• A one-line verdict: likely overhead, low on the horizon, quiet right now, or not dark yet (with the time it gets dark)
• Kp index, how far the auroral oval reaches, sky darkness and how bright the moon is
• The night with the strongest predicted Kp in the coming three days
• Share a card with tonight's reading

Northern lights forecast and Kp index
• A 3-day Kp forecast chart, with observed and predicted values; tap any bar for the time and level
• A solar wind snapshot: Bz direction and speed
• Kp is a global index; your overhead chance also depends on darkness and local sky.
• With Aurora Pro, the extended Kp outlook shows NOAA's full Kp record for roughly the past week alongside the 3-day forecast

Aurora alerts
• Aurora Pro sends a push when the chance of aurora overhead at your location reaches your threshold (5 to 90%) and the sky is dark
• Checked every few minutes on our server, so your phone doesn't have to keep the app running
• A preview shows whether right now's conditions would alert you
• Big-storm alert for everyone who turns it on: one push when Kp reaches 7 or higher, a strong geomagnetic storm
• We send a push when your conditions are met. It's a forecast — actual visibility can vary.

Aurora map
• The aurora forecast map draws the aurora borealis and aurora australis ovals from the latest NOAA model run, with your position
• The map is a fixed preview without a subscription; Aurora Pro lets you pan and zoom
• Share a map snapshot with friends

Sighting log, widget and learning
• Aurora Pro: log each sighting with a photo, time and notes; the Kp and overhead chance at the moment you log it are filled in for you
• Export your sighting list as text
• Aurora Pro: a home-screen widget with tonight's chance overhead and Kp
• Learn the space weather basics: Kp, the auroral oval, OVATION, Bz, substorms and geomagnetic latitude, plus starter tips for aurora photography

How it works
1. Use your approximate location, or search for a city or place you plan to visit.
2. Check the chance overhead and tonight's verdict.
3. Look at the 3-day Kp forecast for the nights ahead.
4. With Aurora Pro, choose a threshold for aurora alerts.

Who it's for
Anyone hoping to see the aurora borealis: people living under the auroral oval, travellers checking an aurora borealis forecast for a destination before a trip north, and photographers watching for a geomagnetic storm. It works in both hemispheres, so you can also check for the aurora australis. If you want a simple northern lights app with northern lights alerts and plain explanations, this aurora forecast app keeps it to one clear reading.

Plans and pricing
Tonight, the 3-day Kp forecast, the map preview, Learn and the big-storm alert need no subscription. Aurora Pro unlocks location alerts, the interactive map, the extended Kp outlook, the sighting log and the home-screen widget. Aurora Pro is available as a weekly or annual subscription, or as a one-time Lifetime purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel them anytime in your Google Play subscriptions.

Privacy
Approximate location only, asked when you tap Use My Location. No account and no ads. Your sighting log is stored on your device, not on our servers.

Good to know
Aurora forecasts are probabilities, not guarantees. Cloud cover isn't included, so check your local weather too.
Space-weather data: NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (swpc.noaa.gov). Aurora Forecast is an independent app and is not affiliated with NOAA or any government agency.

Recent changes:
New for Aurora Pro: NOAA's 27-day outlook.
• The highest Kp expected for each of the next 27 days, with the most active days picked out.
• A full Kp timeline: every 3-hour reading from the past week, plus the 3-day forecast.
• Big-storm alerts now ask for notification permission, so they reach you on Android 13 and later.
• Fixes a crash at launch on some devices.