About the Yellowknife Aurora Forecast
The AuroraVision forecast for Yellowknife uses real-time data from NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center, updated every 2 minutes. Our visibility score combines solar wind Bz, speed, particle density, magnetic field strength, and local cloud cover.
Yellowknife sits at 62.5°N — directly beneath the auroral oval. The city averages over 240 aurora nights per year, more than almost any inhabited location on Earth. Its dry continental climate, virtually zero light pollution outside the city, and long winter nights make it the world's premier land-based aurora destination.
Live Forecast by Location
Real-time aurora scores across the Northwest Territories — cloud cover fetched per city
Cloud cover fetched per GPS location · Solar wind is global · Auto-updates every 2 min
Key Forecast Factors
Five data points that determine aurora visibility in Yellowknife
Bz (nT)
Southward Bz is the primary driver. Yellowknife at 62.5°N sits perfectly in the auroral oval — even moderate Bz activity delivers impressive displays.
Solar Wind Speed
High-speed streams from coronal holes push aurora equatorward. The NWT interior sees predictable aurora during recurring high-speed streams every 27 days.
Magnetic Field Bt
Total interplanetary magnetic field. Strong Bt combined with southward Bz produces the curtain and spiral displays Yellowknife is world-famous for.
Particle Density
Solar wind particle density. CME impacts at Yellowknife's latitude produce vivid multi-colour aurora including rare red arcs above 200 km.
Cloud Cover
The NWT interior has a dry subarctic climate. Yellowknife averages only 280mm precipitation per year — clear nights are frequent, especially November to March.
Best Viewing Window in Yellowknife
Best viewing window is 22:00–01:00 MST (UTC-7). The Yellowknife aurora season runs from late August through April. Darkness begins as early as 17:30 in December — allowing for long, productive aurora hunts across the tundra.
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