- 56 °F5 percent cloud cover
- 50 °F0 percent cloud cover
- 46 °F0 percent cloud cover
Northern Lights Forecast for Helena
Helena, Montana, United States
46°35′20.8″N ⋅ 112°2′20.8″W
Aurora data last updated at
Current local time:
No significant aurora activity is expected in Helena over the next 24 hours. Sky will be dark from 10:54 PM to 4:01 AM local time. Cloud cover around that time looks overcast at around 90%.
Aurora Forecast for Helena, MT
Hourly aurora forecast for Helena
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3-Night Weather Forecast for Helena, MT
- 64 °F0 percent cloud cover
- 53 °F59 percent cloud cover
- 50 °F2 percent cloud cover
- 72 °F96 percent cloud cover
- 65 °F100 percent cloud cover
Sun & Moon
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Long-Term Aurora Forecast for Helena, MT
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, June 13, 2026. Today. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Waning crescent, 4% illumination | Sunday, June 14, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. New moon, 1% illumination | |||||
Monday, June 15, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. New moon, 0% illumination | Tuesday, June 16, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. New moon, 3% illumination | Wednesday, June 17, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Waxing crescent, 8% illumination | Thursday, June 18, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Waxing crescent, 16% illumination | Friday, June 19, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Waxing crescent, 25% illumination | Saturday, June 20, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. First quarter, 35% illumination | Sunday, June 21, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. First quarter, 46% illumination |
Monday, June 22, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. First quarter, 56% illumination | Tuesday, June 23, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. First quarter, 66% illumination | Wednesday, June 24, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Waxing gibbous, 75% illumination | Thursday, June 25, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Waxing gibbous, 83% illumination | Friday, June 26, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Waxing gibbous, 89% illumination | Saturday, June 27, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Waxing gibbous, 94% illumination | Sunday, June 28, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Full moon, 98% illumination |
Monday, June 29, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Full moon, 100% illumination | Tuesday, June 30, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Full moon, 100% illumination | Wednesday, July 1, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Full moon, 98% illumination | Thursday, July 2, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Waning gibbous, 94% illumination | Friday, July 3, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Waning gibbous, 89% illumination | Saturday, July 4, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Waning gibbous, 82% illumination | Sunday, July 5, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Waning gibbous, 74% illumination |
Monday, July 6, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Last quarter, 64% illumination | Tuesday, July 7, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Last quarter, 54% illumination | Wednesday, July 8, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Last quarter, 43% illumination | Thursday, July 9, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Last quarter, 32% illumination | Friday, July 10, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Waning crescent, 21% illumination |
Helena Aurora Guide
Located in the Montana region of United States, Helena is a notable destination for night sky watchers. At a latitude of 46.6°, you will need a historically massive solar event to push the lights this far south. While it takes patience and luck, catching a display from here is an unforgettable experience.
FAQ
What Kp index do I need to see the northern lights in Helena?
In Helena, you usually need at least Kp 7 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 2.0 to 4.7. That is below the usual Kp index threshold for Helena, so seeing the aurora is unlikely.