Northern Lights Forecast

Aurora Forecast Tonight: Ely, Minnesota

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

Tonight's chance of seeing aurora
1%
Unlikely
LocationEly, Minnesota
Geomagnetic Forecast · NOAA / NASA
Magnetic latitude56.6°
Confirmed Kp right nowKp 1.3
Weather Forecast · NWS (US)
Clear-sky estimate30% clear skies
For entertainment purposes only, not a guarantee of visibility. Don't plan travel or spending around this number alone.

About aurora viewing in Ely

Ely is the main gateway town into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, over a million acres of protected, roadless lake country with some of the darkest skies remaining in the continental US.

Where locals actually go

Most Boundary Waters viewing happens from a canoe or a lakeshore campsite well past the edge of town; paddling out even a short distance from Ely puts you under genuinely dark sky, with the aurora often reflected on still water.

Best time of year

The Boundary Waters is remote by design, so plan around permit requirements and access points rather than a single fixed viewing spot.

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