Aurora Alerts
Get told when it’s worth going outside. Free, no app.
Email alerts
Checking the sky every night takes time. Choose your place and how strong a chance you want, and we will email you when the aurora is likely tonight. You get at most one email per night, about three hours before it gets dark or while it is dark.
How Aurora Alerts Work
Every five minutes we recalculate the aurora chance for each place using NOAA’s Kp forecast and live data, MET Norway cloud cover, and the darkness window. When tonight’s chance at your place reaches the level you picked, Moderate (40%+) or High (70%+), we send one email with the chance, the best time, and a link to the live forecast.
You confirm your email once (double opt-in). Every alert has a one-click unsubscribe link. We never share your address and never send marketing.
Prefer chat? Our Telegram channel posts storm watches and nights when several places have a high chance.
Choosing the Right Alert Level
High is the right choice for most people at mid-latitudes. You will get fewer emails, and each one is worth acting on.
Moderate suits keen aurora hunters and anyone in the auroral zone (Alaska, northern Canada, Iceland, northern Scandinavia), where a moderate chance often means a good show.
Alerts only consider tonight’s dark hours. In summer, when it does not get dark enough in the far north, you will not get alerts there.
Tips for Using Alerts
Add our sender address to your contacts so alerts do not land in spam.
When you get an alert, open the forecast and check the hourly cloud row before heading out. Weather can change faster than the hourly forecast.
Big storms are fast. During a NOAA storm watch, keep the aurora map open and check the space weather numbers.
What an Alert Email Looks Like
Each alert is short and practical. It tells you the chance tonight at your place, the hour with the best chance in local time, the Kp needed there and the Kp now, and the current cloud cover. One tap opens the live hourly forecast so you can decide whether to head out.
We send alerts from a dedicated address and never add you to newsletters or share your email. If you sign up for several places, you get at most one email per place per night, and you can remove any place with its own unsubscribe link.
Alerts depend on forecasts, and forecasts can be wrong. A sudden substorm can light up the sky without warning, and a promising night can cloud over. Treat an alert as a strong hint to look outside, not a guarantee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the aurora alerts free?
Yes, completely free. No app and no account, just your email address, which you confirm once.
How often will I get alerts?
At most one per place per night, and only when tonight’s chance reaches the level you chose.
Which places can I get alerts for?
Any place in our forecast list, including Fairbanks, Tromsø, Rovaniemi, Reykjavík, Yellowknife, Alberta, and the northern US states. More places are added over time.
How do I unsubscribe?
Click the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any alert email. It takes effect immediately.
Do you have a northern lights alert app?
You do not need one. Alerts arrive by email and Telegram, and you can add this site to your home screen from your browser.
Why didn’t I get an alert during a storm?
Alerts consider your place’s cloud cover and darkness. If it was cloudy or still light at your location, the chance stayed below your level.
Related
Data: NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center and MET Norway. Updated every 5 minutes. Data sources