Tonight
May 21 - May 22
- 52 °F
97 percent cloud cover - 42 °F
18 percent cloud cover - 38 °F
11 percent cloud cover
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Northern Lights Forecast for Fairbanks
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
64°50′16.1″N ⋅ 147°42′59.0″W
Aurora data last updated at
Current local time:
Aurora activity is expected to be low between 3 PM and 8 AM in Fairbanks tonight. Cloud cover around that time looks mostly cloudy at 5% to 100%. Low activity and cloud cover together may make the aurora difficult to spot.
Aurora Forecast for Fairbanks, AK
Today at 10:00 AM
Low Activity
Cloud Cover:19%
Aurora activity
High clouds
Middle clouds
Low clouds
Fog
Aurora activity
High clouds
Middle clouds
Low clouds
Fog
Hourly aurora forecast for Fairbanks
| Local time | Aurora activity |
|---|---|
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity |
3-Night Weather Forecast for Fairbanks, AK
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Tomorrow night
May 22 - May 23
- 53 °F
45 percent cloud cover - 42 °F30 percent cloud cover
- 37 °F24 percent cloud cover
Saturday night
May 23 - May 24
- 52 °F88 percent cloud cover
- 36 °F89 percent cloud cover
Sun & Moon
Sunset
Sunrise
Current Moon
First Quarter
31% illumination
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Long-Term Aurora Forecast for Fairbanks, AK
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Thursday, May 21, 2026. Today. Moderate aurora activity. Aurora score 4 out of 10. Waxing crescent, 29% illumination | Friday, May 22, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 4 out of 10. First quarter, 40% illumination | Saturday, May 23, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 3 out of 10. First quarter, 50% illumination | Sunday, May 24, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 2 out of 10. First quarter, 61% illumination | |||
Monday, May 25, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 2 out of 10. Waxing gibbous, 71% illumination | Tuesday, May 26, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 2 out of 10. Waxing gibbous, 79% illumination | Wednesday, May 27, 2026. Moderate aurora activity. Aurora score 4 out of 10. Waxing gibbous, 87% illumination | Thursday, May 28, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 4 out of 10. Waxing gibbous, 93% illumination | Friday, May 29, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 3 out of 10. Full moon, 97% illumination | Saturday, May 30, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 3 out of 10. Full moon, 99% illumination | Sunday, May 31, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 3 out of 10. Full moon, 100% illumination |
Monday, June 1, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 2 out of 10. Full moon, 99% illumination | Tuesday, June 2, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 2 out of 10. Waning gibbous, 96% illumination | Wednesday, June 3, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 2 out of 10. Waning gibbous, 91% illumination | Thursday, June 4, 2026. Moderate aurora activity. Aurora score 4 out of 10. Waning gibbous, 85% illumination | Friday, June 5, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 2 out of 10. Waning gibbous, 78% illumination | Saturday, June 6, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 2 out of 10. Last quarter, 69% illumination | Sunday, June 7, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 2 out of 10. Last quarter, 60% illumination |
Monday, June 8, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 2 out of 10. Last quarter, 49% illumination | Tuesday, June 9, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 4 out of 10. Last quarter, 39% illumination | Wednesday, June 10, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 2 out of 10. Waning crescent, 28% illumination | Thursday, June 11, 2026. High aurora activity. Aurora score 7 out of 10. Waning crescent, 19% illumination | Friday, June 12, 2026. Moderate aurora activity. Aurora score 6 out of 10. Waning crescent, 10% illumination | Saturday, June 13, 2026. Moderate aurora activity. Aurora score 4 out of 10. Waning crescent, 4% illumination | Sunday, June 14, 2026. Moderate aurora activity. Aurora score 4 out of 10. New moon, 1% illumination |
Monday, June 15, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 2 out of 10. New moon, 0% illumination | Tuesday, June 16, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 2 out of 10. New moon, 3% illumination | Wednesday, June 17, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 4 out of 10. Waxing crescent, 8% illumination |
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Northern Lights in Fairbanks
Fairbanks is situated in United States's Alaska area. With a latitude of 64.8°, it sits just below the Arctic Circle, putting it in an excellent position when geomagnetic activity rises. Monitor local weather carefully, as clear skies are your biggest hurdle in this prime location.
When to see auroras in Fairbanks
You can spot the aurora here anytime from September to March. While the dark winter months are most popular, the autumn and spring equinoxes often bring a statistical increase in geomagnetic activity.
FAQ
What Kp index do I need to see the northern lights in Fairbanks?
In Fairbanks, you usually need at least Kp 1 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 above the usual Kp index threshold for Fairbanks, so you have a chance of seeing the aurora if the sky is clear.