Tonight
Aug 26 - Aug 27
- 36 °F
98 percent cloud cover - 35 °F100 percent cloud cover
- 36 °F
100 percent cloud cover
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Northern Lights Forecast for Denali
Denali, Alaska, United States
63°19′48.0″N ⋅ 150°23′24.0″W
Aurora data last updated at
Current local time:
Aurora activity is expected to be low between 4 PM and 12 PM in Denali tonight. Sky will be dark from 11:44 PM to 4:23 AM local time. Cloud cover around that time looks overcast at 85% to 100%. Low activity and cloud cover together may make the aurora difficult to spot.
Aurora Forecast for Denali, AK
Today at 4:00 PM
Low Activity
Cloud Cover:100%
Aurora activity
High clouds
Middle clouds
Low clouds
Fog
Aurora activity
High clouds
Middle clouds
Low clouds
Fog
Hourly aurora forecast for Denali
| Local time | Aurora activity |
|---|---|
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Moderate Activity | |
| Moderate Activity | |
| Moderate Activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity |
3-Night Weather Forecast for Denali, AK
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Tomorrow night
Aug 27 - Aug 28
- 41 °F
100 percent cloud cover - 40 °F100 percent cloud cover
- 40 °F100 percent cloud cover
Friday night
Aug 28 - Aug 29
- 43 °F98 percent cloud cover
- 42 °F100 percent cloud cover
- 40 °F100 percent cloud cover
Sun & Moon
Sunset
Sunrise
Dark from 11:44 PM to 04:23 AM (4 h 39 min)
Current Moon
Full Moon
98% illumination
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Long-Term Aurora Forecast for Denali, AK
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wednesday, August 26, 2026. Today. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Full moon, 97% illumination | Thursday, August 27, 2026. Moderate aurora activity. Aurora score 5 out of 10. Full moon, 100% illumination | Friday, August 28, 2026. Moderate aurora activity. Aurora score 6 out of 10. Full moon, 100% illumination | Saturday, August 29, 2026. Moderate aurora activity. Aurora score 5 out of 10. Full moon, 98% illumination | Sunday, August 30, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 4 out of 10. Waning gibbous, 94% illumination | ||
Monday, August 31, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 3 out of 10. Waning gibbous, 88% illumination | Tuesday, September 1, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Waning gibbous, 80% illumination | Wednesday, September 2, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Waning gibbous, 70% illumination | Thursday, September 3, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Last quarter, 60% illumination | Friday, September 4, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 2 out of 10. Last quarter, 48% illumination | Saturday, September 5, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 2 out of 10. Last quarter, 37% illumination | Sunday, September 6, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Waning crescent, 26% illumination |
Monday, September 7, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Waning crescent, 17% illumination | Tuesday, September 8, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Waning crescent, 9% illumination | Wednesday, September 9, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. New moon, 3% illumination | Thursday, September 10, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. New moon, 1% illumination | Friday, September 11, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. New moon, 0% illumination | Saturday, September 12, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 2 out of 10. New moon, 2% illumination | Sunday, September 13, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 4 out of 10. Waxing crescent, 6% illumination |
Monday, September 14, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 3 out of 10. Waxing crescent, 12% illumination | Tuesday, September 15, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 2 out of 10. Waxing crescent, 20% illumination | Wednesday, September 16, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 2 out of 10. Waxing crescent, 28% illumination | Thursday, September 17, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. First quarter, 37% illumination | Friday, September 18, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. First quarter, 47% illumination | Saturday, September 19, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. First quarter, 56% illumination | Sunday, September 20, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. First quarter, 65% illumination |
Monday, September 21, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Waxing gibbous, 74% illumination | Tuesday, September 22, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Waxing gibbous, 82% illumination |
LowAurora ActivityHigh
Northern Lights in Denali
Located in the Alaska region of United States, Denali is a notable destination for night sky watchers. While not directly under the standard auroral oval, its northern location at 63.3° makes it a very reliable viewing spot. Observers here simply need to escape local light pollution and look north on a clear night.
When to see the northern lights in Denali
Plan your trip between September and March. The darkest months—December, January, and February—provide the longest nights, which naturally increases your daily odds of catching the lights.
FAQ
What Kp index do I need to see the northern lights in Denali?
In Denali, you usually need at least Kp 2 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 3.4. That is above the usual Kp index threshold for Denali, so you have a chance of seeing the aurora if the sky is clear.