Tonight
Jul 9 - Jul 10
- 49 °F
100 percent cloud cover - 47 °F100 percent cloud cover
- 48 °F
70 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 3 PM and 9 AM in Denali tonight. Cloud cover around that time looks mostly cloudy at 40% to 100%. Low activity and cloud cover together may make the aurora difficult to spot.
Aurora Forecast for Denali, AK
Today at 1:00 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 | |
| No activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity |
3-Night Weather Forecast for Denali, AK
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Tomorrow night
Jul 10 - Jul 11
- 53 °F
67 percent cloud cover - 48 °F
3 percent cloud cover - 45 °F
30 percent cloud cover
Saturday night
Jul 11 - Jul 12
- 47 °F
97 percent cloud cover - 45 °F
84 percent cloud cover
Sun & Moon
Sunset
Sunrise
Current Moon
Waning Crescent
29% illumination
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Long-Term Aurora Forecast for Denali, AK
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Thursday, July 9, 2026. Today. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 3 out of 10. Last quarter, 32% illumination | Friday, July 10, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 4 out of 10. Waning crescent, 21% illumination | Saturday, July 11, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 3 out of 10. Waning crescent, 12% illumination | Sunday, July 12, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 2 out of 10. Waning crescent, 6% illumination | |||
Monday, July 13, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 2 out of 10. New moon, 1% illumination | Tuesday, July 14, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. New moon, 0% illumination | Wednesday, July 15, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. New moon, 2% illumination | Thursday, July 16, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 2 out of 10. Waxing crescent, 6% illumination | Friday, July 17, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 2 out of 10. Waxing crescent, 13% illumination | Saturday, July 18, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Waxing crescent, 21% illumination | Sunday, July 19, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Waxing crescent, 31% illumination |
Monday, July 20, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. First quarter, 41% illumination | Tuesday, July 21, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. First quarter, 51% illumination | Wednesday, July 22, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 4 out of 10. First quarter, 60% illumination | Thursday, July 23, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 3 out of 10. Waxing gibbous, 69% illumination | Friday, July 24, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 2 out of 10. Waxing gibbous, 78% illumination | Saturday, July 25, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 2 out of 10. Waxing gibbous, 85% illumination | Sunday, July 26, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Waxing gibbous, 91% illumination |
Monday, July 27, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Waxing gibbous, 96% illumination | Tuesday, July 28, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Full moon, 99% illumination | Wednesday, July 29, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Full moon, 100% illumination | Thursday, July 30, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Full moon, 99% illumination | Friday, July 31, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Full moon, 97% illumination | Saturday, August 1, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Waning gibbous, 92% illumination | Sunday, August 2, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Waning gibbous, 85% illumination |
Monday, August 3, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Waning gibbous, 77% illumination | Tuesday, August 4, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 4 out of 10. Last quarter, 67% illumination | Wednesday, August 5, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 3 out of 10. Last quarter, 57% 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 2.6 to 3.0. That is around the usual Kp index threshold for Denali, so you might have a chance of seeing the aurora if the sky is clear and dark.