Northern lights in Massachusetts tonight
The aurora forecast for Massachusetts, hour by hour: the Kp index NOAA expects, how dark it gets, the Moon and the clouds, for the north of the state (Gloucester) where the odds are best.
Unlikely Sunday, October 25
The highest Kp expected after dark tonight is 3. Gloucester (north Massachusetts) needs about Kp 6 to see the aurora low on the northern horizon, and the sky cover forecast after dark averages 5%. The Moon is 100% lit.
| Time | Sky | Kp | Clouds | Moon | Chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 PM | Dark | 3.00 | 5% | 19° | Unlikely |
| 8 PM | Dark | 3.00 | 6% | 30° | Unlikely |
| 9 PM | Dark | 3.00 | 6% | 40° | Unlikely |
| 10 PM | Dark | 3.00 | 4% | 50° | Unlikely |
| 11 PM | Dark | 2.00 | 2% | 59° | Unlikely |
| 12 AM | Dark | 2.00 | 3% | 63° | Unlikely |
| 1 AM | Dark | 2.00 | 3% | 63° | Unlikely |
| 2 AM | Dark | 2.00 | 3% | 57° | Unlikely |
| 3 AM | Dark | 2.00 | 6% | 48° | Unlikely |
| 4 AM | Dark | 2.00 | 3% | 38° | Unlikely |
| 5 AM | Dark | 2.00 | 9% | 28° | Unlikely |
| 6 AM | Dark | 2.00 | 12% | 17° | Unlikely |
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 Massachusetts
The farther north (in magnetic terms) you stand, the lower the Kp you need. From Gloucester, 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 Massachusetts
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 Gloucester. Clouds are not counted, so the real number of nights with a visible aurora is lower. Over the last 10 years the average was 4.5 nights a year; in 2025 it was 13.
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 Gloucester 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 Gloucester |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Massachusetts
Massachusetts gets occasional aurora during strong storms. The Berkshires in the west and the outer reaches of Cape Ann and Cape Cod are the darkest options. Greater Boston's glow spreads far, so a drive of an hour or more helps a lot.
Use a summit in the Berkshires or a rocky point on Cape Ann that faces north over the ocean.
- Mount Greylock State Reservation: highest point in Massachusetts, near Adams in the northwest
- Halibut Point State Park: rocky ocean point on Cape Ann in Rockport, facing north
- Cape Cod National Seashore: national seashore on the outer Cape, from Chatham to Provincetown
Nearby states
Questions people ask
Can you see the northern lights in Massachusetts?
Yes, on active nights. From Gloucester it takes about Kp 6, which happened on about 4.5 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.