Tonight
Aug 26 - Aug 27
- 20 °C
73 percent cloud cover - 15 °C
33 percent cloud cover - 12 °C49 percent cloud cover
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Northern Lights Forecast for Banff
Banff, Alberta, Canada
51°10′42.2″N ⋅ 115°34′14.9″W
Aurora data last updated at
Current local time:
Aurora activity is expected to be low between 11 PM and 1 AM in Banff tonight. Sky will be dark from 9:59 PM to 5:29 AM local time. Cloud cover around that time looks partly cloudy at 35% to 50%. Even with clearer skies, low activity would likely make any aurora faint.
Aurora Forecast for Banff
Today at 6:00 PM
No activity
Cloud Cover:77%
Aurora activity
High clouds
Middle clouds
Low clouds
Fog
Aurora activity
High clouds
Middle clouds
Low clouds
Fog
Hourly aurora forecast for Banff
| Local time | Aurora activity |
|---|---|
| No activity | |
| No activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| No activity | |
| No activity | |
| No activity | |
| No activity | |
| No activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| No activity | |
| No activity | |
| No activity |
3-Night Weather Forecast for Banff
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Tomorrow night
Aug 27 - Aug 28
- 14 °C
37 percent cloud cover - 11 °C18 percent cloud cover
- 8 °C
100 percent cloud cover
Friday night
Aug 28 - Aug 29
- 13 °C35 percent cloud cover
- 9 °C15 percent cloud cover
- 6 °C68 percent cloud cover
Sun & Moon
Sunset
Sunrise
Dark from 09:59 PM to 05:29 AM (7 h 30 min)
Current Moon
Full Moon
98% illumination
Refresh to load today's sun path.
Long-Term Aurora Forecast for Banff
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wednesday, August 26, 2026. Today. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Full moon, 97% illumination | Thursday, August 27, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Full moon, 100% illumination | Friday, August 28, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Full moon, 100% illumination | Saturday, August 29, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Full moon, 98% illumination | Sunday, August 30, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Waning gibbous, 94% illumination | ||
Monday, August 31, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Waning gibbous, 88% illumination | Tuesday, September 1, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Waning gibbous, 80% illumination | Wednesday, September 2, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Waning gibbous, 70% illumination | Thursday, September 3, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Last quarter, 60% illumination | Friday, September 4, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Last quarter, 48% illumination | Saturday, September 5, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Last quarter, 37% illumination | Sunday, September 6, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Waning crescent, 26% illumination |
Monday, September 7, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Waning crescent, 17% illumination | Tuesday, September 8, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Waning crescent, 9% illumination | Wednesday, September 9, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. New moon, 3% illumination | Thursday, September 10, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. New moon, 1% illumination | Friday, September 11, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. New moon, 0% illumination | Saturday, September 12, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. New moon, 2% illumination | Sunday, September 13, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Waxing crescent, 6% illumination |
Monday, September 14, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Waxing crescent, 12% illumination | Tuesday, September 15, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Waxing crescent, 20% illumination | Wednesday, September 16, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Waxing crescent, 28% illumination | Thursday, September 17, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. First quarter, 37% illumination | Friday, September 18, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. First quarter, 47% illumination | Saturday, September 19, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. First quarter, 56% illumination | Sunday, September 20, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. First quarter, 65% illumination |
Monday, September 21, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Waxing gibbous, 74% illumination | Tuesday, September 22, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Waxing gibbous, 82% illumination |
LowAurora ActivityHigh
Northern Lights in Banff
Found in Alberta, Banff offers unique opportunities for aurora hunters visiting Canada. Situated far south at 51.2°, the auroral oval rarely reaches this area. While it takes patience and luck, catching a display from here is an unforgettable experience.
FAQ
What Kp index do I need to see the northern lights in Banff?
In Banff, you usually need at least Kp 5 to have a reasonable chance of seeing the northern lights. Lower Kp can still bring a faint aurora display low on the northern horizon, but it is less common.
This is based on magnetic latitude, and Kp index is a global geomagnetic index, so treat it as a rule of thumb, not a location-specific guarantee.
Tonight, the NOAA Kp index forecast is 3 to 3.7. That is below the usual Kp index threshold for Banff, so seeing the aurora is unlikely.