Northern lights in Alabama tonight
The aurora forecast for Alabama, hour by hour: the Kp index NOAA expects, how dark it gets, the Moon and the clouds, for the north of the state (Florence) where the odds are best.
Unlikely Thursday, November 5
The highest Kp expected after dark tonight is 2.33. Florence (north Alabama) needs about Kp 9 (extreme storms only) to see the aurora low on the northern horizon, and the sky cover forecast after dark averages 19%. The Moon is 10% lit.
| Time | Sky | Kp | Clouds | Moon | Chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 PM | Dark | 2.33 | 15% | down | Unlikely |
| 7 PM | Dark | 2.33 | 13% | down | Unlikely |
| 8 PM | Dark | 2.33 | 10% | down | Unlikely |
| 9 PM | Dark | 2.00 | 14% | down | Unlikely |
| 10 PM | Dark | 2.00 | 20% | down | Unlikely |
| 11 PM | Dark | 2.00 | 14% | down | Unlikely |
| 12 AM | Dark | 2.00 | 24% | down | Unlikely |
| 1 AM | Dark | 2.00 | 28% | down | Unlikely |
| 2 AM | Dark | 2.00 | 22% | down | Unlikely |
| 3 AM | Dark | 2.33 | 24% | down | Unlikely |
| 4 AM | Dark | 2.33 | 24% | 3° | Unlikely |
| 5 AM | Dark | 2.33 | 18% | 14° | Unlikely |
Forecast from NOAA SWPC (Kp, 3-hour blocks) and the National Weather Service (sky cover), checked when this page was built. The page updates itself when it can reach our data feed.
What Kp you need in Alabama
Alabama sits far from the magnetic pole. The aurora reaches it only in extreme geomagnetic storms, such as the one on May 10-11, 2024, and then mostly as a faint red or pink glow that a phone camera records better than the eye. How we estimate this: our method.
How often the aurora reaches Alabama
Between 2006 and 2025, the Kp index never went above what Florence needs by eye: Kp tops out at 9, and only the strongest storms of a solar cycle bring the aurora this far south. The last ones were the G5 storm of May 10-11, 2024 and the G4 storm of October 10-11, 2024.
The next 27 days
NOAA's 27-day outlook has no day with a largest Kp near the 9 that Florence needs. The outlook repeats the Sun's 27-day rotation and cannot see sudden storms, so check the 3-day forecast too.
| Day (UTC) | Largest Kp | At Florence |
|---|---|---|
| Thu, Nov 5 | 3 | Unlikely |
| Fri, Nov 6 | 3 | Unlikely |
| Sat, Nov 7 | 3 | Unlikely |
| Sun, Nov 8 | 2 | Unlikely |
| Mon, Nov 9 | 4 | Unlikely |
| Tue, Nov 10 | 3 | Unlikely |
| Wed, Nov 11 | 3 | Unlikely |
| Thu, Nov 12 | 3 | Unlikely |
| Fri, Nov 13 | 2 | Unlikely |
| Sat, Nov 14 | 2 | Unlikely |
First 10 days shown. Full table: 27-day aurora forecast.
Where to watch in Alabama
Northern lights over Alabama are very rare. Most sightings came during exceptional storms such as May 10-11, 2024, and even then phone cameras picked up far more color than eyes did. Your best odds are in the northern tier, around Florence and the Tennessee Valley, or up on the Cumberland Plateau in the northeast corner, away from Birmingham and Huntsville.
Find a hilltop or lakeshore with a clear view due north and point a camera low at the horizon. A glow, if any, will sit just above the trees.
- Little River Canyon National Preserve: canyon rim on Lookout Mountain near Fort Payne, northeast Alabama, with dark rural skies
- DeSoto State Park: mountaintop state park on Lookout Mountain, northeast of Fort Payne
- Joe Wheeler State Park: state park on Wheeler Lake near Rogersville, east of Florence
Questions people ask
Can you see the northern lights in Alabama?
Only in rare, extreme storms. The last time was May 10-11, 2024, when people across the southern US photographed it.
What time is best?
Usually between 10 pm and 2 am local time, when the sky is fully dark and your location faces the night side of the auroral oval. Storms can bring it earlier or later.
Which way should I look?
North, toward a low, open horizon away from city lights. In strong storms the aurora can climb higher or appear overhead.
Is this an official forecast?
No. It is our estimate built from NOAA's Kp forecast, the National Weather Service sky cover forecast and the Sun and Moon positions. It is not a promise.
Sources: Kp forecast and 27-day outlook: NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (public domain). Sky cover: National Weather Service (public domain). Kp archive: GFZ, CC BY 4.0. Coordinates: U.S. Census Bureau Gazetteer. Magnetic latitude: our calculation from the IGRF-14 model of Earth's magnetic field. Sun and Moon: Astronomy Engine. Unofficial estimates, not a guarantee.
Page checked: November 5, 2026.