Northern lights in Idaho tonight
The aurora forecast for Idaho, hour by hour: the Kp index NOAA expects, how dark it gets, the Moon and the clouds, for the north of the state (Sandpoint) where the odds are best.
Unlikely Monday, November 2
The highest Kp expected after dark tonight is 2. Sandpoint (north Idaho) needs about Kp 5 to see the aurora low on the northern horizon, and the sky cover forecast after dark averages 61%. The Moon is 34% lit.
| Time | Sky | Kp | Clouds | Moon | Chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 PM | Dark | 1.67 | 29% | down | Unlikely |
| 8 PM | Dark | 2.00 | 35% | down | Unlikely |
| 9 PM | Dark | 2.00 | 41% | down | Unlikely |
| 10 PM | Dark | 2.00 | 54% | down | Unlikely |
| 11 PM | Dark | 1.67 | 53% | down | Unlikely |
| 12 AM | Dark | 1.67 | 68% | down | Unlikely |
| 1 AM | Dark | 1.67 | 66% | down | Unlikely |
| 2 AM | Dark | 1.33 | 78% | 7° | Clouds in the way |
| 3 AM | Dark | 1.33 | 68% | 16° | Unlikely |
| 4 AM | Dark | 1.33 | 71% | 25° | Unlikely |
| 5 AM | Dark | 0.67 | 87% | 34° | Clouds in the way |
| 6 AM | Dark | 0.67 | 87% | 42° | 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 Idaho
The farther north (in magnetic terms) you stand, the lower the Kp you need. From Sandpoint, 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 Idaho
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 Sandpoint. Clouds are not counted, so the real number of nights with a visible aurora is lower. Over the last 10 years the average was 11.5 nights a year; in 2025 it was 27.
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 Sandpoint 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 Sandpoint |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Low chance |
| Tue, Nov 10 | 3 | Unlikely |
| Wed, Nov 11 | 3 | Unlikely |
First 10 days shown. Full table: 27-day aurora forecast.
Where to watch in Idaho
Idaho has some of the best aurora odds in the lower 48, especially in the northern panhandle around Sandpoint and Priest Lake. Central Idaho also has very dark skies thanks to the Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve. Valley fog and winter inversions can blanket the lowlands, so higher ground often stays clearer.
Lake shores in the panhandle that face north work well. In the mountains, find a pullout with no ridge blocking the northern sky.
- Priest Lake State Park: lakeside state park in the far north of the panhandle
- Farragut State Park: state park on the south end of Lake Pend Oreille, near Athol
- Sawtooth National Recreation Area: mountain recreation area around Stanley in central Idaho
- Craters of the Moon National Monument: lava field national monument in south central Idaho, west of Arco
Nearby states
Questions people ask
Can you see the northern lights in Idaho?
Yes, on active nights. From Sandpoint it takes about Kp 5, which happened on about 11.5 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. 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.