Northern Lights in Chicago Tonight
Can you see the northern lights in Chicago? Rarely, and then low on the northern horizon, in a strong storm. NOAA’s storm scale names Illinois at Kp 7 (G3): “aurora has been seen as low as Illinois and Oregon (typically 50° geomagnetic lat.).” By NOAA’s rule Chicago needs Kp 7 to see the aurora low to the north and Kp 8 for it overhead; Kp 7 or more comes on about 194 days in an 11-year solar cycle. Springfield, in the middle of the state, needs Kp 8 to see it low.
Type where you are: the Kp your spot needs, NOAA’s forecast for your dark hours tonight and the next two nights, the moon, and which way to look.
Fairbanks, AK · magnetic latitude 65.7°
You need Kp 0+By NOAA’s rule the aurora’s edge reaches Fairbanks at Kp 0+. Loading NOAA’s forecast for tonight…
- Kp you need
- 0+ overhead
- Look toward
- north-northeast
Kp forecast: NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center. Places: GeoNames.
The forecast above opens on Chicago, IL: type your own town, or use your location, for tonight’s answer where you are.
What Kp does Chicago need?
NOAA’s rule: “At Kp = 0, the equator ward edge of the auroral oval is approximately 66 degrees.” “And it moves equatorward about 2 degrees for each level of Kp.” That is in magnetic latitude — NOAA: “This relationship holds true in geomagnetic latitude, not geographic.” — so a town needs a Kp of (66 − its magnetic latitude) ÷ 2. In a big storm the aurora can also be seen from farther away, low on the horizon: NOAA’s storm scale says how low it “has been seen” at Kp 6 to 9.
| Town | Magnetic latitude | Kp overhead | Low on the horizon | Days per 11-year cycle | Look toward |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rockford, IL | 51.0° | 8− | Kp 7 (G3) | Kp ≥ 7: 194 | north |
| Chicago, IL | 50.6° | 8 | Kp 7 (G3) | Kp ≥ 7: 194 | north |
| Peoria, IL | 49.4° | 8+ | Kp 8 (G4) | Kp ≥ 8: 64 | north |
| Springfield, IL | 48.5° | 9 | Kp 8 (G4) | Kp ≥ 8: 64 | north |
The farther toward the magnetic pole, the lower the Kp: Rockford needs the least of these towns and Springfield the most. NOAA adds a warning worth keeping: “It should be noted that the relationship between Kp and auroral latitude are approximate and represent averages.”
When is it dark enough in Chicago?
NOAA: “The aurora is not visible during daylight hours.” These are the hours with the Sun 12° or more below the horizon (the end of nautical twilight) on the night after the 15th of each month. “The best Seasons for aurora watching are around the spring and fall equinoxes.”
| Month | Chicago | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| January | 12.5 h | 12.5 h |
| February | 11.3 h | 11.3 h |
| March | 10.2 h | 10.2 h |
| April | 8.5 h | 8.5 h |
| May | 7 h | 7 h |
| June | 6.2 h | 6.2 h |
| July | 6.7 h | 6.5 h |
| August | 8 h | 8 h |
| September | 9.5 h | 9.3 h |
| October | 11 h | 11 h |
| November | 12 h | 12 h |
| December | 12.7 h | 12.7 h |
Plan it
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- Northern Lights Tonight: the forecast for any town
FAQ
Can you see the northern lights in Chicago?
Rarely: only in a strong storm, and on a dark, clear night. By NOAA’s rule Chicago needs Kp 7 to see the aurora low on the horizon and Kp 8 overhead. Kp 7 or more comes on about 194 days in an 11-year solar cycle (NOAA’s storm scale). At Kp 7 (G3) NOAA’s storm scale says: “aurora has been seen as low as Illinois and Oregon (typically 50° geomagnetic lat.).”
Can I see the northern lights tonight in Chicago?
Only NOAA’s forecast for tonight can say: the tool at the top of this page reads it for Chicago (or your own town) and compares it with what Chicago needs: Kp 7 to see the aurora low on the horizon and Kp 8 overhead. Look north, away from city lights; NOAA: “Best aurora is usually within an hour or two of midnight (between 10 PM and 2 AM local time).”
When is the best time to see the northern lights in Chicago?
Chicago has its longest nights in December (12.7 hours of darkness). NOAA adds: “The best Seasons for aurora watching are around the spring and fall equinoxes.”
What Kp do you need to see the northern lights in Chicago?
Rockford, at magnetic latitude 51.0°: Kp 8− overhead, Kp 7 low on the horizon; Chicago, at magnetic latitude 50.6°: Kp 8 overhead, Kp 7 low on the horizon; Peoria, at magnetic latitude 49.4°: Kp 8+ overhead, Kp 8 low on the horizon; Springfield, at magnetic latitude 48.5°: Kp 9 overhead, Kp 8 low on the horizon. The rule is NOAA’s: the oval’s edge is at about 66° magnetic latitude at Kp 0 and moves about 2° toward the equator for each level of Kp.
Can you see the northern lights in Illinois?
Rarely, and first in the north of the state. By NOAA’s rule, Rockford needs Kp 7 to see the aurora low on the horizon and Kp 8− overhead; Chicago needs Kp 7 to see the aurora low on the horizon and Kp 8 overhead; Peoria needs Kp 8 to see the aurora low on the horizon and Kp 8+ overhead; Springfield needs Kp 8 to see the aurora low on the horizon and Kp 9 overhead. Kp 7 or more comes on about 194 days in an 11-year solar cycle (NOAA’s storm scale).
How these numbers are made
Magnetic latitude is the dipole’s, with the pole from the IGRF-14 coefficients (NOAA NCEI / IAGA). The Kp overhead is NOAA’s rule, “low on the horizon” and the days per cycle are NOAA’s storm scale, and tonight’s Kp in the tool is NOAA’s 3-day forecast. Darkness is the Sun’s position, computed for 2026. Towns: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Rules checked 2026-09-27.