Northern lights in Seattle tonight
The aurora forecast for Seattle, Washington, hour by hour: the Kp index NOAA expects, darkness, the Moon and the cloud forecast for the city.
Unlikely Sunday, October 25
The highest Kp expected after dark tonight is 2. Seattle needs about Kp 6 to see the aurora low on the northern horizon, and the sky cover forecast after dark averages 77%. The Moon is 100% lit.
| Time | Sky | Kp | Clouds | Moon | Chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 PM | Twilight | 3.00 | 77% | 14° | Not dark yet |
| 8 PM | Dark | 2.00 | 62% | 24° | Unlikely |
| 9 PM | Dark | 2.00 | 85% | 34° | Clouds in the way |
| 10 PM | Dark | 2.00 | 94% | 43° | Clouds in the way |
| 11 PM | Dark | 2.00 | 82% | 51° | Clouds in the way |
| 12 AM | Dark | 2.00 | 70% | 57° | Unlikely |
| 1 AM | Dark | 2.00 | 81% | 59° | Clouds in the way |
| 2 AM | Dark | 2.00 | 66% | 57° | Unlikely |
| 3 AM | Dark | 2.00 | 69% | 51° | Unlikely |
| 4 AM | Dark | 2.00 | 75% | 43° | Clouds in the way |
| 5 AM | Dark | 2.00 | 83% | 33° | Clouds in the way |
| 6 AM | Dark | 2.00 | 83% | 24° | Clouds in the way |
| 7 AM | Twilight | 2.00 | 83% | 14° | 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 Seattle
The farther north (in magnetic terms) you stand, the lower the Kp you need. From Seattle, an aurora usually shows low on the northern horizon once Kp reaches about 6; 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 Seattle
Our own count from the official Kp archive: on how many nights each year the Kp index reached about 6 or more while it was dark at Seattle. Clouds are not counted, so the real number of nights with a visible aurora is lower. Over the last 10 years the average was 5.2 nights a year; in 2025 it was 11.
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 6 that Seattle 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 Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| Sun, Oct 25 | 3 | Unlikely |
| Mon, Oct 26 | 2 | Unlikely |
| Tue, Oct 27 | 2 | Unlikely |
| Wed, Oct 28 | 2 | Unlikely |
| Thu, Oct 29 | 2 | Unlikely |
| Fri, Oct 30 | 2 | Unlikely |
| Sat, Oct 31 | 5 | Low chance |
| Sun, Nov 1 | 5 | Low chance |
| Mon, Nov 2 | 3 | Unlikely |
| Tue, Nov 3 | 2 | Unlikely |
First 10 days shown. Full table: 27-day aurora forecast.
Where to watch in Seattle
Seattle has decent aurora odds during strong storms, but cloud cover is the real obstacle, especially from October through spring. Clear nights do happen, and when a big storm lines up with one, people see color from parks and ferries. Heading north toward Whidbey Island or east into the Cascade foothills cuts the city glow.
Look north over Puget Sound or a lake, keeping the downtown lights to your south.
- Deception Pass State Park: coastal state park at the north end of Whidbey Island, about 80 miles north
- Rattlesnake Lake: lake recreation area near North Bend, about 35 miles east
For the darkest skies in the state, see northern lights in Washington.
Questions people ask
Can you see the northern lights in Seattle, WA?
Yes, on active nights. From Seattle it takes about Kp 6, which happened on about 5.2 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. Sun and Moon: Astronomy Engine. Unofficial estimates, not a guarantee.
Page checked: October 25, 2026.