Northern lights in Philadelphia tonight
The aurora forecast for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, hour by hour: the Kp index NOAA expects, darkness, the Moon and the cloud forecast for the city.
Unlikely Monday, November 2
The highest Kp expected after dark tonight is 2. Philadelphia needs about Kp 8 to see the aurora low on the northern horizon, and the sky cover forecast after dark averages 23%. The Moon is 35% lit.
| Time | Sky | Kp | Clouds | Moon | Chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 PM | Dark | 2.00 | 14% | down | Unlikely |
| 7 PM | Dark | 1.67 | 9% | down | Unlikely |
| 8 PM | Dark | 1.67 | 13% | down | Unlikely |
| 9 PM | Dark | 1.67 | 11% | down | Unlikely |
| 10 PM | Dark | 2.00 | 15% | down | Unlikely |
| 11 PM | Dark | 2.00 | 11% | down | Unlikely |
| 12 AM | Dark | 2.00 | 18% | down | Unlikely |
| 1 AM | Dark | 1.67 | 24% | 4° | Unlikely |
| 2 AM | Dark | 1.67 | 30% | 15° | Unlikely |
| 3 AM | Dark | 1.67 | 33% | 26° | Unlikely |
| 4 AM | Dark | 1.33 | 45% | 37° | Unlikely |
| 5 AM | Dark | 1.33 | 47% | 47° | 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 Philadelphia
The farther north (in magnetic terms) you stand, the lower the Kp you need. From Philadelphia, an aurora usually shows low on the northern horizon once Kp reaches about 8; 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 Philadelphia
Our own count from the official Kp archive: on how many nights each year the Kp index reached about 8 or more while it was dark at Philadelphia. Clouds are not counted, so the real number of nights with a visible aurora is lower. Over the last 10 years the average was 0.8 nights a year; in 2025 it was 2.
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 no day with a largest Kp near the 8 that Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Mon, Nov 9 | 4 | Unlikely |
| Tue, Nov 10 | 3 | Unlikely |
| Wed, Nov 11 | 3 | Unlikely |
First 10 days shown. Full table: 27-day aurora forecast.
Where to watch in Philadelphia
Philadelphia's glow merges with the rest of the I-95 corridor, so the aurora needs a strong storm and a drive. Upper Bucks County and the Poconos, to the north, are where most local photos come from. Clear winter nights after a cold front give the sharpest views.
Use a lake or ridge in the north with open sky toward New York state.
- Nockamixon State Park: lake state park in upper Bucks County, about 40 miles north
- Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area: river valley recreation area about 85 miles north
For the darkest skies in the state, see northern lights in Pennsylvania.
Nearby cities
Questions people ask
Can you see the northern lights in Philadelphia, PA?
Yes, on active nights. From Philadelphia it takes about Kp 8, which happened on about 0.8 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: November 2, 2026.