Northern lights in Spokane tonight
The aurora forecast for Spokane, Washington, hour by hour: the Kp index NOAA expects, darkness, the Moon and the cloud forecast for the city.
Unlikely Wednesday, November 4
The highest Kp expected after dark tonight is 3.67. Spokane needs about Kp 5 to see the aurora low on the northern horizon, and the sky cover forecast after dark averages 67%. The Moon is 16% lit.
| Time | Sky | Kp | Clouds | Moon | Chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 PM | Dark | 2.67 | 14% | down | Unlikely |
| 7 PM | Dark | 3.00 | 28% | down | Unlikely |
| 8 PM | Dark | 3.00 | 38% | down | Unlikely |
| 9 PM | Dark | 3.00 | 59% | down | Unlikely |
| 10 PM | Dark | 3.67 | 66% | down | Unlikely |
| 11 PM | Dark | 3.67 | 66% | down | Unlikely |
| 12 AM | Dark | 3.67 | 78% | down | Clouds in the way |
| 1 AM | Dark | 2.67 | 92% | down | Clouds in the way |
| 2 AM | Dark | 2.67 | 82% | down | Clouds in the way |
| 3 AM | Dark | 2.67 | 86% | 2° | Clouds in the way |
| 4 AM | Dark | 2.67 | 97% | 11° | Clouds in the way |
| 5 AM | Dark | 2.67 | 97% | 20° | Clouds in the way |
| 6 AM | Twilight | 2.67 | 97% | 28° | 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 Spokane
The farther north (in magnetic terms) you stand, the lower the Kp you need. From Spokane, 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 Spokane
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 Spokane. Clouds are not counted, so the real number of nights with a visible aurora is lower. Over the last 10 years the average was 8.2 nights a year; in 2025 it was 15.
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 4 days with a largest Kp close to or above what Spokane needs: Nov 17 (Kp 5), Nov 18 (Kp 5), Nov 27 (Kp 5), Nov 28 (Kp 5). The outlook is rough: it repeats the Sun's 27-day rotation and misses sudden storms.
| Day (UTC) | Largest Kp | At Spokane |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Low chance |
| Tue, Nov 10 | 3 | Unlikely |
| Wed, Nov 11 | 3 | Unlikely |
| Thu, Nov 12 | 3 | Unlikely |
| Fri, Nov 13 | 2 | Unlikely |
First 10 days shown. Full table: 27-day aurora forecast.
Where to watch in Spokane
Spokane has better aurora odds than most cities its size, and dark country starts just outside town. The Selkirk Mountains to the north and northeast add height. Valley fog in winter can cover the city while hilltops stay clear.
Climb above the valley and face north toward the Canadian border.
- Mount Spokane State Park: mountain state park about 30 miles northeast
- Riverside State Park: river state park on the northwest edge of the city
For the darkest skies in the state, see northern lights in Washington.
Nearby cities
Questions people ask
Can you see the northern lights in Spokane, WA?
Yes, on active nights. From Spokane it takes about Kp 5, which happened on about 8.2 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: November 4, 2026.