Northern lights in Dallas tonight
The aurora forecast for Dallas, Texas, hour by hour: the Kp index NOAA expects, darkness, the Moon and the cloud forecast for the city.
Unlikely Friday, October 30
The highest Kp expected after dark tonight is 5. Dallas needs about Kp 9 (extreme storms only) to see the aurora low on the northern horizon, and the sky cover forecast after dark averages 89%. The Moon is 68% lit.
| Time | Sky | Kp | Clouds | Moon | Chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 PM | Dark | 5.00 | 92% | down | Clouds in the way |
| 9 PM | Dark | 5.00 | 96% | down | Clouds in the way |
| 10 PM | Dark | 4.67 | 97% | down | Clouds in the way |
| 11 PM | Dark | 4.67 | 94% | 2° | Clouds in the way |
| 12 AM | Dark | 4.67 | 91% | 12° | Clouds in the way |
| 1 AM | Dark | 4.33 | 91% | 24° | Clouds in the way |
| 2 AM | Dark | 4.33 | 92% | 36° | Clouds in the way |
| 3 AM | Dark | 4.33 | 88% | 48° | Clouds in the way |
| 4 AM | Dark | 4.00 | 83% | 60° | Clouds in the way |
| 5 AM | Dark | 4.00 | 84% | 72° | Clouds in the way |
| 6 AM | Dark | 4.00 | 69% | 81° | Unlikely |
| 7 AM | Twilight | 3.00 | 70% | 78° | Not dark yet |
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 Dallas
Dallas, TX 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 Dallas
Between 2006 and 2025, the Kp index never went above what Dallas 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 Dallas 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 Dallas |
|---|---|---|
| Fri, Oct 30 | 2 | Unlikely |
| Sat, Oct 31 | 5 | Unlikely |
| Sun, Nov 1 | 4 | Unlikely |
| Mon, Nov 2 | 3 | Unlikely |
| Tue, Nov 3 | 2 | Unlikely |
| Wed, Nov 4 | 2 | Unlikely |
| Thu, Nov 5 | 3 | Unlikely |
| Fri, Nov 6 | 3 | Unlikely |
| Sat, Nov 7 | 3 | Unlikely |
| Sun, Nov 8 | 2 | Unlikely |
First 10 days shown. Full table: 27-day aurora forecast.
Where to watch in Dallas
Over Dallas the northern lights are extremely rare. During the exceptional storm of May 10-11, 2024, people across North Texas picked up a pink glow mostly on phone cameras rather than by eye. With the Metroplex lit for miles in every direction, the Red River country to the north is the realistic target.
Look over a lake or open pasture toward the Oklahoma line, as far from the city glow as you can get.
- Eisenhower State Park: state park on Lake Texoma near Denison, about 75 miles north
- Copper Breaks State Park: dark rural state park near Quanah, about 200 miles northwest
For the darkest skies in the state, see northern lights in Texas.
Nearby cities
Questions people ask
Can you see the northern lights in Dallas, TX?
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: October 30, 2026.