Tonight
May 21 - May 22
- 45 °F
83 percent cloud cover - 42 °F
80 percent cloud cover - 43 °F
95 percent cloud cover
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Northern Lights Forecast for Anchorage
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
61°13′5.2″N ⋅ 149°54′1.1″W
Aurora data last updated at
Current local time:
Aurora activity is expected to be low between 7 PM and 2 AM in Anchorage tonight. Cloud cover around that time looks overcast at 75% to 95%. Low activity and cloud cover together may make the aurora difficult to spot.
Aurora Forecast for Anchorage, AK
Today at 1:00 PM
No activity
Cloud Cover:97%
Aurora activity
High clouds
Middle clouds
Low clouds
Fog
Aurora activity
High clouds
Middle clouds
Low clouds
Fog
Hourly aurora forecast for Anchorage
| Local time | Aurora activity |
|---|---|
| No activity | |
| No activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low 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 |
3-Night Weather Forecast for Anchorage, AK
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Tomorrow night
May 22 - May 23
- 45 °F67 percent cloud cover
- 40 °F66 percent cloud cover
- 37 °F77 percent cloud cover
Saturday night
May 23 - May 24
- 43 °F
56 percent cloud cover - 36 °F87 percent cloud cover
Sun & Moon
Sunset
Sunrise
Current Moon
First Quarter
31% illumination
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Long-Term Aurora Forecast for Anchorage, AK
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Thursday, May 21, 2026. Today. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 2 out of 10. Waxing crescent, 29% illumination | Friday, May 22, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. First quarter, 40% illumination | Saturday, May 23, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. First quarter, 50% illumination | Sunday, May 24, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. First quarter, 61% illumination | |||
Monday, May 25, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Waxing gibbous, 71% illumination | Tuesday, May 26, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Waxing gibbous, 79% illumination | Wednesday, May 27, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 2 out of 10. Waxing gibbous, 87% illumination | Thursday, May 28, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Waxing gibbous, 93% illumination | Friday, May 29, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Full moon, 97% illumination | Saturday, May 30, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Full moon, 99% illumination | Sunday, May 31, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Full moon, 100% illumination |
Monday, June 1, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Full moon, 99% illumination | Tuesday, June 2, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Waning gibbous, 96% illumination | Wednesday, June 3, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Waning gibbous, 91% illumination | Thursday, June 4, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 2 out of 10. Waning gibbous, 85% illumination | Friday, June 5, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Waning gibbous, 78% illumination | Saturday, June 6, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Last quarter, 69% illumination | Sunday, June 7, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Last quarter, 60% illumination |
Monday, June 8, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Last quarter, 49% illumination | Tuesday, June 9, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Last quarter, 39% illumination | Wednesday, June 10, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Waning crescent, 28% illumination | Thursday, June 11, 2026. Moderate aurora activity. Aurora score 4 out of 10. Waning crescent, 19% illumination | Friday, June 12, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 4 out of 10. Waning crescent, 10% illumination | Saturday, June 13, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 2 out of 10. Waning crescent, 4% illumination | Sunday, June 14, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 2 out of 10. New moon, 1% illumination |
Monday, June 15, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. New moon, 0% illumination | Tuesday, June 16, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. New moon, 3% illumination | Wednesday, June 17, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Waxing crescent, 8% illumination |
LowAurora ActivityHigh
Anchorage Aurora Guide
Found in Alaska, Anchorage offers unique opportunities for aurora hunters visiting United States. At a latitude of 61.2°, it is further south than traditional aurora hotspots. While it takes patience and luck, catching a display from here is an unforgettable experience.
When to see auroras in Anchorage
While auroras are driven by solar storms rather than seasons, you still need dark skies. In Anchorage, your best chances are during the darker months from October through February.
FAQ
What Kp index do I need to see the northern lights in Anchorage?
In Anchorage, you usually need at least Kp 3 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 0.7 to 2.7. That is a bit below the usual Kp index threshold for Anchorage, so there is still a small chance of seeing faint aurora low on the northern horizon.