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Northern Lights Forecast

Northern Lights Tonight in Sandpoint, Idaho

Live visibility odds for Sandpoint, combining the current geomagnetic Kp index with real local cloud cover, not just one or the other.

Tonight's chance of seeing aurora
0%
Unlikely
LocationSandpoint, Idaho
Geomagnetic Forecast · NOAA / NASA
Magnetic latitude54.5°
Confirmed Kp right nowKp 2.0
Weather Forecast · NWS (US)
Clear-sky estimate8% clear skies
For entertainment purposes only, not a guarantee of visibility. Don't plan travel or spending around this number alone.

What Kp do you need in Sandpoint?

Naked eye
Kp 6
Around once a month
Camera, long exposure
Kp 2.5
Most clear nights of the year
Magnetic latitude
54.5°
Not the same as the 48.3° on a map — this is what actually decides it

Those frequencies are how often the geomagnetic threshold itself is reached, before weather. Cloud cover, moonlight and local light pollution all cut into it, which is why the live score at the top of this page multiplies the geomagnetic odds by tonight's actual sky over Sandpoint.

Which way to look from Sandpoint

Face north. From Sandpoint the auroral oval sits well to the north, so activity shows up as a glow low on the northern horizon rather than overhead — which means a clear, unobstructed northern view matters more here than total darkness does.

About aurora viewing in Sandpoint

Sandpoint sits in Idaho's northern panhandle on Lake Pend Oreille, close enough to the Canadian border and far enough from major cities to offer real dark sky for the Pacific Northwest.

Where locals actually go

The lake's north shore gives an open view over water, a similar setup to Bigfork on Flathead Lake in neighboring Montana.

Best time of year

Long winter nights and the region's lower humidity compared to the coast give Sandpoint better odds of clear skies than western Washington locations.

Will I see the aurora in Sandpoint tonight?

Right now, Sandpoint has a 0% chance based on tonight's real conditions: Kp 2.0 and 8% clear skies. Unlikely. This updates live, so check back closer to dark for the most accurate read, especially if the sky is currently cloudy where you are.

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A good Kp forecast isn't the whole story. See what else actually determines whether you'll see it →

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