Northern lights forecast tonight in the Northwest Territories
2 towns across the Northwest Territories, each with tonight's chance from NOAA's Ovation model, updated every 15 minutes. Kp is a 0 to 9 scale of how far the lights reach from the pole, and every town here needs Kp 1 before your eyes pick anything up.
Tonight the sky is dark for 7.9 hours in Inuvik and 8.7 in Yellowknife.
Best tonight
Yellowknife
Yellowknife has the strongest chance in the Northwest Territories right now, at 13%.
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Every town in the Northwest Territories tonight
| Town | Chance now | Your eyes need | Tonight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellowknife | 13% | Kp 1 | Auroras likely tonight |
| Inuvik | 8% | Kp 1 | Auroras likely tonight |
Faint aurora looks gray to your eyes and green to a phone. In the Northwest Territories a phone picks it up from about Kp 1, and your eyes need Kp 1.
Aurora is possible in the Northwest Territories from late August to mid-April. The sky has to be dark and clear. Clouds stop everything, and no camera gets around that.
Where people actually stand in the Northwest Territories
Places locals and guides name, with what each one gives you. Every town below has its own page.
Yellowknife
Madeline Lake
24 km east · car
A small lake off the Ingraham Trail with a proper parking area, open shoreline and sky, clear of the city glow while still on the paved stretch of road. There is no mobile signal out here, so tell someone where you have gone.
Prelude Lake
30 km east · car
The largest park on the Ingraham Trail, with a short stair trail up to a lookout over the water — height and a broad reflective surface in one place. The road is open all year, but the campground facilities close from mid-September to mid-May.
Questions about the northern lights in the Northwest Territories
Where in the Northwest Territories is the best place tonight?
Yellowknife has the strongest chance right now at 13%. The list above reorders itself every 15 minutes, so the answer changes through the night.
What Kp do you need to see the northern lights in the Northwest Territories?
Kp 1, the same for every town here. Kp is a 0 to 9 scale of how far the lights reach from the pole.
When is the best time of year in the Northwest Territories?
Aurora is possible from late August to mid-April, because the nights are long enough to be properly dark. A clear sky matters more than the forecast number.
Can an iPhone photograph the northern lights in the Northwest Territories?
Yes, from about Kp 1. A phone picks up aurora that is too faint for your eyes. Rest it on something steady and give it a long exposure. What looks gray to you comes out green on the phone.
Aurora possible over Yellowknife tonight — be ready to film it.
When you're finally standing in the cold under the night you've waited years for, there are no retakes — the sky does its show once and moves on. So pack the jacket, pack the thermos, and pack the one thing that makes the night eternal: the iOS astrophotography app built for auroras. Long after the trip, you'll still have the display itself, moving, in 4K.
- ✦ Set it down and it arms itself
- ✦ 4K timelapse + a still from the session
- ✦ Aurora intelligence tunes every capture
- ✦ Tracks the aurora live — no extra app
- ✦ Apple Watch companion
- ✦ Pay once, own it forever