Live · Updated Sat, 7:26 AM EDT · refreshes every 30 min
Northern lights tonight in New York
Seeing the northern lights from New York takes a strong geomagnetic storm: upstate towns typically need Kp 7, and New York City Kp 8. The table below shows tonight's chance for twelve towns, from Massena on the St. Lawrence to New York City, with cloud cover over the dark hours and when full darkness starts. It rebuilds every 30 minutes from NOAA's aurora model and MET Norway's cloud forecast.
Tonight's northern lights chance across New York
NOAA forecasts Kp up to 4.00 during tonight's dark hours, well below the Kp 7 that even Massena typically needs: a quiet night is expected across New York.
- Kp now
- 3.33
- Forecast max tonight
- Kp 4.00
- Aurora forecast for
- 8:25 am EDT
| Town | Aurora chance | Cloud, dark hours | Fully dark (EDT) | Kp usually needed | Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MassenaSt. Lawrence River, far north | 0% | 0% | 7:30 pm – 5:57 am | Kp 7 (G3) | Unlikely |
| PlattsburghLake Champlain, North Country | 0% | 0% | 7:24 pm – 5:51 am | Kp 7 (G3) | Unlikely |
| Lake PlacidAdirondacks | 0% | 70% | 7:26 pm – 5:53 am | Kp 7 (G3) | Unlikely |
| Tupper LakeAdirondacks | 0% | 31% | 7:28 pm – 5:55 am | Kp 7 (G3) | Unlikely |
| WatertownNear Lake Ontario, North Country | 0% | 12% | 7:34 pm – 6:01 am | Kp 7 (G3) | Unlikely |
| RochesterLake Ontario, western New York | 0% | 82% | 7:41 pm – 6:07 am | Kp 7 (G3) | Unlikely |
| SyracuseCentral New York | 0% | 3% | 7:35 pm – 6:01 am | Kp 7 (G3) | Unlikely |
| BuffaloLake Erie, western New York | 0% | 42% | 7:46 pm – 6:12 am | Kp 7 (G3) | Unlikely |
| AlbanyHudson Valley, Capital Region | 0% | 0% | 7:26 pm – 5:52 am | Kp 7 (G3) | Unlikely |
| BinghamtonSouthern Tier | 0% | 45% | 7:35 pm – 6:00 am | Kp 7 (G3) | Unlikely |
| MontaukEast end of Long Island | 0% | 34% | 7:18 pm – 4:45 am | Kp 7 (G3) | Unlikely |
| New York CityFive boroughs | 0% | 52% | 7:26 pm – 4:53 am | Kp 8 (G4) | Unlikely |
Aurora chance is NOAA's OVATION model, which NOAA describes as a 30 to 90 minute forecast, so in daylight it shows where the oval is now rather than tonight; this page rebuilds every 30 minutes, so check back after dark. Cloud is MET Norway's forecast averaged over the rest of tonight's dark hours. Weather data from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0).
Check your own spot in New York
Not near one of these towns? Enter a ZIP code or share your location for the same check at your exact point. ZIP codes resolve from the Census Bureau's ZIP code areas on this site's own server.
Combines tonight's aurora activity, your latitude, and your local cloud cover into one answer.
What Kp does New York need for the northern lights?
New York sits close to the edge on both ends. NOAA's storm scale names New York at the G2 level (Kp 6), and the far north comes near that band: Massena is at about 54.1° geomagnetic latitude against the 55° NOAA gives for G2, so it is the first place to watch, but no New York town is quite inside it. Every town from Massena down to Binghamton, and Montauk too, falls in the G3 band (Kp 7). New York City, at about 49.9°, sits just under the 50° line and lands in the G4 band (Kp 8).
| Town | Map latitude | Geomagnetic latitude | Typical storm level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massena | 44.9°N | 54.1° | G3, Kp 7 |
| Plattsburgh | 44.7°N | 53.9° | G3, Kp 7 |
| Lake Placid | 44.3°N | 53.5° | G3, Kp 7 |
| Tupper Lake | 44.2°N | 53.4° | G3, Kp 7 |
| Watertown | 44.0°N | 53.2° | G3, Kp 7 |
| Rochester | 43.2°N | 52.3° | G3, Kp 7 |
| Syracuse | 43.0°N | 52.2° | G3, Kp 7 |
| Buffalo | 42.9°N | 52.0° | G3, Kp 7 |
| Albany | 42.7°N | 51.9° | G3, Kp 7 |
| Binghamton | 42.1°N | 51.3° | G3, Kp 7 |
| Montauk | 41.0°N | 50.3° | G3, Kp 7 |
| New York City | 40.7°N | 49.9° | G4, Kp 8 |
How rare is that? NOAA's storm scale counts about 130 storm days per 11-year solar cycle at the G3 level and about 60 at G4. Those are storm days, not sightings: a storm still has to fall on a clear night, during New York's dark hours, to be seen, and on most nights the table above will read Unlikely across the state.
How the column is worked out: each town's geomagnetic latitude uses the dipole terms of the IGRF-14 field model for 2025, which place the north geomagnetic pole near 80.8°N, 72.8°W. NOAA's storm scale then gives the lowest geomagnetic latitude where the aurora has typically been seen: 55° at G2 (Kp 6), 50° at G3 (Kp 7), 45° at G4 (Kp 8) and 40° at G5 (Kp 9). These are typical values, not guarantees: NOAA's viewing tips call its Kp-to-latitude relationships approximate averages.
Where to watch the northern lights in New York
Get away from city light and find an open view to the north, where a display seen from New York usually sits low. Tupper Lake in the Adirondacks has public stargazing, and its tourism site calls it a well-known stargazing destination for its dark skies:
Adirondack Sky Center & Observatory Public observatory
Tupper Lake, Adirondacks
Runs free public observing events year-round, weather permitting. Tupper Lake sits in the G3 band (Kp 7), at about 53.4° geomagnetic latitude.
Moody Bridge and Rock Island Bay Local stargazing spots
Tupper Lake, Adirondacks
Named by Tupper Lake's tourism site as places to watch the night sky along with Coney Mountain. Moody Bridge is the Route 30 causeway.
Source: Tupper Lake: Stargazing
Best time to see the northern lights in New York
NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center says the best seasons for aurora watching are around the spring and fall equinoxes. In New York the storm matters more than the season: only a G3 or stronger storm typically reaches the state, so watch NOAA's Kp forecast rather than the calendar.
Within a night, NOAA says the best aurora is usually within an hour or two of midnight, between 10 PM and 2 AM local time. Pair that with the dark window in the live table above: the hours before the end of astronomical twilight wash out a faint display.
New York northern lights FAQ
Can you see the northern lights in New York tonight?
The live table on this page answers that for 12 New York towns: NOAA's aurora chance, the cloud cover forecast over the dark hours and when full darkness starts. It rebuilds every 30 minutes. A town is marked an outside chance from 8% and a good chance from 20%, if the sky is clear enough to see it.
What time can you see the northern lights in New York?
After full darkness and, per NOAA, usually within an hour or two of midnight: between 10 PM and 2 AM local time. The table lists tonight's dark window for each town, from the end of astronomical twilight to the first light of dawn.
Can you see the northern lights in Buffalo?
On strong nights. Buffalo sits at about 52° geomagnetic latitude, which NOAA's storm scale puts in the G3 band (Kp 7), the level at which NOAA says the aurora "has been seen as low as Illinois and Oregon". On quieter nights it stays north of the city; even on a strong night, city light washes out a faint display, so a dark spot with an open northern horizon helps.
Why can you see the northern lights in New York?
Because the north geomagnetic pole is not at the North Pole: in the IGRF-14 model it sits near 80.8°N, 72.8°W, over the Canadian Arctic. That puts Massena at about 54° geomagnetic latitude against 44.9° on the map, and the aurora oval follows geomagnetic latitude.
Can you see the northern lights in New York City?
Rarely, and only in a severe storm. New York City sits at about 49.9° geomagnetic latitude, just under the 50° line for a G3 storm, which puts it in the band NOAA ties to G4 (Kp 8). City light is the bigger problem: a faint display is washed out from inside the five boroughs, so the live table can read a good chance and the sky can still look ordinary.
Can you see the northern lights in upstate New York?
In strong storms, yes. Massena, Plattsburgh, the Adirondacks, Watertown, Rochester, Syracuse, Buffalo, Albany and Binghamton all sit in the band NOAA ties to a G3 storm (Kp 7), the level at which NOAA says the aurora "has been seen as low as Illinois and Oregon". The far north is closest to the G2 band, so it gets the first chance as a storm builds.
Where is the best place to see the northern lights in New York?
The far north of the state, away from city light, looking north. Tupper Lake in the Adirondacks has a public observatory, the Adirondack Sky Center, with free observing events, and Tupper Lake's tourism site lists Moody Bridge, Rock Island Bay and Coney Mountain as night-sky spots.
How often can you see the northern lights in New York?
Rarely. No official count of sightings exists for the state, but NOAA publishes how often storms reach each level: about 130 storm days per 11-year solar cycle at G3, the level most of New York typically needs, and about 60 at G4, the level for New York City. Cloud and daylight rule out many of those.
How is this New York aurora forecast worked out?
For each town, the aurora chance is NOAA's OVATION model at that 1° grid cell, which NOAA describes as a 30 to 90 minute forecast. Cloud cover is MET Norway's hourly forecast averaged over the rest of tonight's dark hours. Dark hours are computed from the sun's position. The Kp each town needs comes from its geomagnetic latitude and NOAA's storm scale.
Sources
Every claim on this page is backed by an authoritative source. Atlas Ranger synthesizes data from multiple references so you can see exactly where each fact came from.
- NOAA SWPC: Aurora 30-Minute Forecast (OVATION)Used for: Aurora probability at each town, refreshed with every page rebuild · NOAA describes it as a 30 to 90 minute forecast of the aurora’s location and intensity
- NOAA SWPC: Planetary K-index and 3-Day ForecastUsed for: Current Kp and the highest forecast Kp over tonight’s dark hours
- NOAA Space Weather Scales (geomagnetic storms)Used for: Typical lowest geomagnetic latitude of the aurora at each storm level (G2 55°, G3 50°, G4 45°, G5 40°) and average storm days per solar cycle · Read 2026-10-24
- NOAA SWPC: Tips on Viewing the AuroraUsed for: Best time of night (10 PM–2 AM) and season (around the equinoxes); guidance is in geomagnetic latitude · Read 2026-10-24
- IGRF-14 coefficients (NOAA NCEI / IAGA)Used for: Geomagnetic pole position (2025.0 dipole terms) for each town’s geomagnetic latitude · Read 2026-10-24
- MET Norway Locationforecast 2.0Used for: Hourly cloud cover at each town, averaged over the dark hours · Weather data from MET Norway, licensed CC BY 4.0; cached 30 minutes
- US Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer FilesUsed for: Town coordinates (Places file) and ZIP code points (ZCTA file) · Public domain; read 2026-10-24
- Adirondack Sky Center & Observatory: AboutUsed for: Where to watch in New York · Read 2026-10-30
- Tupper Lake: StargazingUsed for: Where to watch in New York · Read 2026-10-30