Tonight
Aug 15 - Aug 16
- 60 °F
100 percent cloud cover - 58 °F
100 percent cloud cover - 56 °F100 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 8 PM and 7 AM in Anchorage tonight. Sky will be dark from 12:14 AM to 3:54 AM local time. Cloud cover around that time looks overcast at around 100%. Low activity and cloud cover together may make the aurora difficult to spot.
Aurora Forecast for Anchorage, AK
Today at 10:00 AM
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 Anchorage
| Local time | Aurora activity |
|---|---|
| Low Activity | |
| No activity | |
| No activity | |
| No activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| No activity | |
| No activity | |
| No activity | |
| No activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity | |
| Low Activity |
3-Night Weather Forecast for Anchorage, AK
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Tomorrow night
Aug 16 - Aug 17
- 59 °F100 percent cloud cover
- 58 °F
100 percent cloud cover - 60 °F83 percent cloud cover
Monday night
Aug 17 - Aug 18
- 57 °F
41 percent cloud cover - 57 °F100 percent cloud cover
Sun & Moon
Sunset
Sunrise
Dark from 12:14 AM to 03:54 AM (3 h 40 min)
Current Moon
Waxing Crescent
10% illumination
Refresh to load today's sun path.
Long-Term Aurora Forecast for Anchorage, AK
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, August 15, 2026. Today. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 2 out of 10. Waxing crescent, 10% illumination | Sunday, August 16, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Waxing crescent, 17% illumination | |||||
Monday, August 17, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 2 out of 10. Waxing crescent, 25% illumination | Tuesday, August 18, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 2 out of 10. First quarter, 35% illumination | Wednesday, August 19, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. First quarter, 44% illumination | Thursday, August 20, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. First quarter, 54% illumination | Friday, August 21, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 2 out of 10. First quarter, 63% illumination | Saturday, August 22, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Waxing gibbous, 72% illumination | Sunday, August 23, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Waxing gibbous, 80% illumination |
Monday, August 24, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Waxing gibbous, 87% illumination | Tuesday, August 25, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 out of 10. Waxing gibbous, 93% illumination | Wednesday, August 26, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 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. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 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 1 out of 10. Last quarter, 48% illumination | Saturday, September 5, 2026. Low aurora activity. Aurora score 1 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 |
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 2 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.