Northern lights in Portland tonight
The aurora forecast for Portland, Oregon, hour by hour: the Kp index NOAA expects, darkness, the Moon and the cloud forecast for the city.
Unlikely Wednesday, October 28
The highest Kp expected after dark tonight is 1.33. Portland needs about Kp 7 to see the aurora low on the northern horizon, and the sky cover forecast after dark averages 51%. The Moon is 86% lit.
| Time | Sky | Kp | Clouds | Moon | Chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 PM | Twilight | 1.67 | 58% | down | Not dark yet |
| 8 PM | Dark | 1.33 | 46% | 3° | Unlikely |
| 9 PM | Dark | 1.33 | 35% | 12° | Unlikely |
| 10 PM | Dark | 1.33 | 33% | 21° | Unlikely |
| 11 PM | Dark | 1.33 | 51% | 31° | Unlikely |
| 12 AM | Dark | 1.33 | 54% | 41° | Unlikely |
| 1 AM | Dark | 1.33 | 54% | 51° | Unlikely |
| 2 AM | Dark | 1.33 | 54% | 61° | Unlikely |
| 3 AM | Dark | 1.33 | 37% | 69° | Unlikely |
| 4 AM | Dark | 1.33 | 57% | 72° | Unlikely |
| 5 AM | Dark | 1.33 | 70% | 68° | Unlikely |
| 6 AM | Dark | 1.33 | 70% | 60° | Unlikely |
| 7 AM | Twilight | 1.33 | 70% | 51° | 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 Portland
The farther north (in magnetic terms) you stand, the lower the Kp you need. From Portland, an aurora usually shows low on the northern horizon once Kp reaches about 7; 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 Portland
Our own count from the official Kp archive: on how many nights each year the Kp index reached about 7 or more while it was dark at Portland. Clouds are not counted, so the real number of nights with a visible aurora is lower. Over the last 10 years the average was 2.2 nights a year; in 2025 it was 7.
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 7 that Portland 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 Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Wed, Oct 28 | 2 | Unlikely |
| Thu, Oct 29 | 2 | Unlikely |
| 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 |
First 10 days shown. Full table: 27-day aurora forecast.
Where to watch in Portland
Portland's main challenge is cloud cover, especially from fall through spring. During strong storms, people see the aurora from the Columbia River Gorge and from parks west of the city. East of the Cascades the skies are often clearer.
Look north across the Columbia or from a high overlook in the Gorge.
- Rowena Crest Viewpoint: Gorge overlook in Mayer State Park, about 75 miles east
- L.L. Stub Stewart State Park: forest state park with a stargazing area, about 35 miles west
For the darkest skies in the state, see northern lights in Oregon.
Nearby cities
Questions people ask
Can you see the northern lights in Portland, OR?
Yes, on active nights. From Portland it takes about Kp 7, which happened on about 2.2 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 28, 2026.