Northern lights in Colorado tonight
The aurora forecast for Colorado, hour by hour: the Kp index NOAA expects, how dark it gets, the Moon and the clouds, for the north of the state (Fort Collins) where the odds are best.
Clouds in the way Sunday, October 25
The highest Kp expected after dark tonight is 3. Fort Collins (north Colorado) needs about Kp 8 to see the aurora low on the northern horizon, and the sky cover forecast after dark averages 88%. The Moon is 100% lit.
| Time | Sky | Kp | Clouds | Moon | Chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 PM | Twilight | 3.00 | 90% | 15° | Not dark yet |
| 8 PM | Dark | 3.00 | 93% | 26° | Clouds in the way |
| 9 PM | Dark | 2.00 | 92% | 37° | Clouds in the way |
| 10 PM | Dark | 2.00 | 91% | 48° | Clouds in the way |
| 11 PM | Dark | 2.00 | 90% | 58° | Clouds in the way |
| 12 AM | Dark | 2.00 | 89% | 65° | Clouds in the way |
| 1 AM | Dark | 2.00 | 89% | 66° | Clouds in the way |
| 2 AM | Dark | 2.00 | 87% | 62° | Clouds in the way |
| 3 AM | Dark | 2.00 | 87% | 53° | Clouds in the way |
| 4 AM | Dark | 2.00 | 85% | 43° | Clouds in the way |
| 5 AM | Dark | 2.00 | 81% | 32° | Clouds in the way |
| 6 AM | Dark | 2.00 | 81% | 21° | Clouds in the way |
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 Colorado
The farther north (in magnetic terms) you stand, the lower the Kp you need. From Fort Collins, 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 Colorado
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 Fort Collins. Clouds are not counted, so the real number of nights with a visible aurora is lower. Over the last 10 years the average was 0.5 nights a year; in 2025 it was 1.
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 Fort Collins 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 Fort Collins |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Unlikely |
| Sun, Nov 1 | 5 | Unlikely |
| Mon, Nov 2 | 3 | Unlikely |
| Tue, Nov 3 | 2 | Unlikely |
First 10 days shown. Full table: 27-day aurora forecast.
Where to watch in Colorado
Colorado catches the aurora during strong storms, usually as a red band low in the north rather than a sky full of color. The northern Front Range and the plains east of Fort Collins have the edge, along with North Park near the Wyoming line. Denver's light dome is wide, so most people drive well out of the metro.
On the plains any open field facing north works. In the mountains, pick a pass or high pullout where peaks do not block the northern sky.
- Pawnee National Grassland: open shortgrass prairie in northeast Colorado, east of Fort Collins
- State Forest State Park: mountain state park in North Park near Walden, close to the Wyoming border
- Rocky Mountain National Park: national park west of Estes Park, with high pullouts along Trail Ridge Road
Nearby states
Questions people ask
Can you see the northern lights in Colorado?
Yes, on active nights. From Fort Collins it takes about Kp 8, which happened on about 0.5 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.