Northern lights forecast tonight in Oregon
3 towns across Oregon, 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 these towns need Kp 6 to Kp 7 before your eyes pick anything up.
Best tonight
Astoria, Oregon
No town in Oregon has a measurable chance right now. That changes when a storm arrives, so check again after dark.
Astoria, Oregon sits closest to the pole in Oregon, so it needs the least: Kp 6.
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Every town in Oregon tonight
| Town | Chance now | Your eyes need | Tonight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Astoria, Oregon | 0% | Kp 6 | No auroras expected right now |
| Portland, Oregon | 0% | Kp 6 | No auroras expected right now |
| Bend, Oregon | 0% | Kp 7 | No auroras expected right now |
Faint aurora looks gray to your eyes and green to a phone. In Oregon a phone picks it up from about Kp 4, and your eyes need Kp 6.
Aurora is possible in Oregon 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 Oregon
Places locals and guides name, with what each one gives you. Every town below has its own page.
Portland, Oregon
Council Crest Park
3 km south-west · car
The highest point in the city proper, and where KOIN's own cameras went during the May 2024 storm. You are shooting over the downtown glow, so expect the color to show up on your phone screen before your eyes catch it — and the park closes at midnight, right when the show tends to peak. Drive up SW Council Crest Dr, or hike in on the Marquam Trail if the lot is full.
Portland Women's Forum State Scenic Viewpoint
33 km east · car
The old Chanticleer Point on the Historic Columbia River Highway above Corbett, with the same wide north-facing view down the gorge as Vista House but without the parking chaos. Take I-84 to exit 22 and climb the hill; bring a real coat, because the gorge's east wind does not quit at night. On a forecast storm half of Portland has the same idea, so get there before dark.
L.L. Stub Stewart State Park (Hilltop day-use area)
47 km north-west · car
About 45 minutes west on US 26 toward Vernonia, then up OR 47 past Buxton — the hilltop day-use area lets you park next to your view, flush toilets and all. This is where OMSI and the Rose City Astronomers hold their star parties, dark enough for the Milky Way with open sky to the north. Kill your headlights the moment you park; everyone up there is dark-adapted.
Questions about the northern lights in Oregon
Where in Oregon is the best place tonight?
Nothing in Oregon has a measurable chance right now. Astoria, Oregon needs the least activity, Kp 6, so it is the first place to light up when a storm arrives.
What Kp do you need to see the northern lights in Oregon?
Between Kp 6 and Kp 7, depending on how far north the town is. Kp is a 0 to 9 scale of how far the lights reach from the pole. Astoria, Oregon needs the least at Kp 6.
When is the best time of year in Oregon?
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 Oregon?
Yes, from about Kp 4. 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.
Be ready before the next storm hits.
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