Northern lights in Minneapolis tonight
The aurora forecast for Minneapolis, Minnesota, hour by hour: the Kp index NOAA expects, darkness, the Moon and the cloud forecast for the city.
Clouds in the way Tuesday, October 27
The highest Kp expected after dark tonight is 1.67. Minneapolis needs about Kp 5 to see the aurora low on the northern horizon, and the sky cover forecast after dark averages 85%. The Moon is 94% lit.
| Time | Sky | Kp | Clouds | Moon | Chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 PM | Twilight | 1.33 | 79% | 2° | Not dark yet |
| 8 PM | Dark | 1.33 | 81% | 11° | Clouds in the way |
| 9 PM | Dark | 1.33 | 83% | 21° | Clouds in the way |
| 10 PM | Dark | 1.33 | 85% | 31° | Clouds in the way |
| 11 PM | Dark | 1.33 | 88% | 41° | Clouds in the way |
| 12 AM | Dark | 1.33 | 90% | 51° | Clouds in the way |
| 1 AM | Dark | 1.67 | 92% | 61° | Clouds in the way |
| 2 AM | Dark | 1.67 | 89% | 68° | Clouds in the way |
| 3 AM | Dark | 1.67 | 87% | 71° | Clouds in the way |
| 4 AM | Dark | 1.33 | 84% | 66° | Clouds in the way |
| 5 AM | Dark | 1.33 | 81% | 58° | Clouds in the way |
| 6 AM | Dark | 1.33 | 79% | 49° | Clouds in the way |
| 7 AM | Twilight | 1.33 | 76% | 39° | 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 Minneapolis
The farther north (in magnetic terms) you stand, the lower the Kp you need. From Minneapolis, an aurora usually shows low on the northern horizon once Kp reaches about 5; overhead displays need about two steps more. A phone camera in night mode often records it one step earlier than the eye. How we estimate this: our method.
How often the aurora reaches Minneapolis
Our own count from the official Kp archive: on how many nights each year the Kp index reached about 5 or more while it was dark at Minneapolis. Clouds are not counted, so the real number of nights with a visible aurora is lower. Over the last 10 years the average was 13.7 nights a year; in 2025 it was 34.
Data: Kp index since 1932, GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences (Matzka et al., 2021), CC BY 4.0. Darkness computed by us for each 3-hour interval (Sun 12° or more below the horizon).
The next 27 days
NOAA's 27-day outlook has 1 day with a largest Kp close to or above what Minneapolis needs: Oct 31 (Kp 5). The outlook is rough: it repeats the Sun's 27-day rotation and misses sudden storms.
| Day (UTC) | Largest Kp | At Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Tue, Oct 27 | 2 | Unlikely |
| Wed, Oct 28 | 2 | Unlikely |
| Thu, Oct 29 | 2 | Unlikely |
| Fri, Oct 30 | 2 | Unlikely |
| Sat, Oct 31 | 5 | Possible |
| Sun, Nov 1 | 4 | Low chance |
| Mon, Nov 2 | 3 | Unlikely |
| Tue, Nov 3 | 2 | Unlikely |
| Wed, Nov 4 | 2 | Unlikely |
| Thu, Nov 5 | 3 | Unlikely |
First 10 days shown. Full table: 27-day aurora forecast.
Where to watch in Minneapolis
Minneapolis sees the aurora during moderate to strong storms. The Twin Cities glow is wide, but a drive north toward the St. Croix or Mille Lacs area makes a big difference. Winter nights are long and often clear but very cold.
Lakes north of the metro give open northern horizons.
- William O'Brien State Park: St. Croix River state park near Marine on St. Croix, about 35 miles northeast
- Wild River State Park: river state park near Center City, about 50 miles north
For the darkest skies in the state, see northern lights in Minnesota.
Questions people ask
Can you see the northern lights in Minneapolis, MN?
Yes, on active nights. From Minneapolis it takes about Kp 5, which happened on about 13.7 nights a year over the last 10 years (before clouds).
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 27, 2026.