USA · Aurora borealis
Is the aurora visible in Fairbanks tonight?
Right now
Wait for dark.
Kp is 0.0. Fairbanks needs Kp 1+ for the oval overhead — right now it’s low on the northern horizon.
Tonight's peak is forecast around Kp 4.0 (Active). The forecast still depends on darkness, cloud and the moon at your exact spot.
Reliable about 30 minutes ahead — cloud decides the rest.
Fairbanks sits right under the auroral oval — it needs roughly Kp 1+ for the northern lights to come into view. Here's tonight's live space weather and how to plan around it.
Come back at 06:06 PM — that’s when the sky goes dark and the aurora could show.
Add a reminderHow to see the aurora from Fairbanks
Face north and find a clear, low horizon in that direction. Everything else — dark skies, adapted eyes, the camera trick — is the same anywhere on Earth, so it lives in the how to photograph the aurora guide.
When can you see the northern lights in Fairbanks?
Aurora season in Fairbanks runs roughly September – March. Here the months that pay off are January, March, and April — the table below shows why. See the full best time to see the aurora guide for the season in detail.
Fairbanks by the numbers
Between Sep 1, 2025 and Aug 31, 2026, Fairbanks had 288 nights dark enough for the aurora, and the planetary Kp reached the Kp 1+ this place needs on 285 of them. Averaged over 2015–2024 and this location's cloud cover, that works out to about 125 aurora-possible nights a year, most of them in January, March, and April.
| Month | Dark hours per night | Dark nights | Average cloud cover | Aurora-possible nights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 16.3 h | 31 | 59% | 16 |
| February | 13.5 h | 28 | 61% | 14 |
| March | 10.5 h | 31 | 61% | 15 |
| April | 6.8 h | 30 | 55% | 18 |
| May | 0 | 11 | 63% | 6 |
| June | 0 | 0 | 62% | 0 |
| July | 0 | 3 | 68% | 1 |
| August | 5 h | 31 | 78% | 9 |
| September | 9.3 h | 30 | 72% | 12 |
| October | 12.5 h | 31 | 70% | 13 |
| November | 15.5 h | 30 | 70% | 11 |
| December | 17.3 h | 31 | 67% | 12 |
Sources: the sun's geometry (dark = at least 6° below the horizon), GFZ Potsdam's Kp index 2015–2024 (CC BY 4.0), ERA5 cloud cover via Open-Meteo (the table shows the monthly mean; the estimate counts days that were not overcast). An estimate for comparing places and months, not a forecast — how we estimate this.
Where to watch near Fairbanks
Get out of the city lights and find a clear view to the north. These are places near Fairbanks that locals and aurora chasers use. Distances and drive times are from the city centre.
Creamer's Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge
Open fields on the north side of town with very little artificial light, reached on a paved road.
Bring a headlamp. It is the closest option but only darker than downtown, not truly dark.
MapChena Lake Recreation Area (near North Pole)
Away from city lights, with plenty of parking at River Park and Lake Park. Before freeze-up in autumn and after thaw in spring, the lake reflects the aurora.
The roads inside the park are gravel. Unplowed areas may need all-wheel or four-wheel drive.
MapCleary Summit (Steese Highway)
A 680 m high point with several plowed pullouts. The turnouts at miles 16.6, 17 and 19 on the way up also have open views.
The road has sharp turns and big elevation changes. It is busy with tour buses, and you are asked to switch off your headlights as soon as it is safe.
MapMurphy Dome
At 877 m it is the highest point close to Fairbanks, with unobstructed views. There are pullouts near the end of the road.
The last five miles (about 8 km) are packed dirt and gravel, and all-wheel or four-wheel drive is advised in winter. The 40-minute figure is Explore Fairbanks' estimate for good conditions; in snow it can take nearly twice that.
Map
Local tips
- Use the UAF Geophysical Institute aurora forecast, which gives a 30-minute and a 3-day outlook. The best viewing is the three or four hours around midnight, and the Fairbanks season runs from about 21 August to 21 April.
- Never park on the highway shoulder. Use plowed pullouts only, because the snow at the road edge is soft and cars get stuck.
- On Chena Hot Springs Road, moose are common and cell service is patchy, so drive slowly at night.
The last big one
: A solar storm brought a rare red aurora over Fairbanks. A Geophysical Institute writer said he recalled only one similar display in 40 years there.
Plan the trip
Aurora tours & stays near Fairbanks
Some links below are paid affiliate links. If you book a tour, reserve a stay or buy gear through them, we may earn a commission — it never costs you anything extra and helps keep the forecast free.
- GetYourGuide
Aurora chasing tours
Guided minibus & boat tours that drive you to the clearest skies around Fairbanks.
See Fairbanks toursDates pre-filled for tonight
- Booking.com
Aurora cabins & lodges
Cabins, lodges and aurora-view stays near Fairbanks — settle in and watch the lights.
Find stays - Discover Cars
Rent a car to chase clear skies
Self-drive to dark-sky spots away from town glow. Compare every local supplier.
Compare cars - SafetyWing
Cover the trip
Travel medical cover for a trip to Fairbanks — remote, cold and weather-dependent — from a few dollars a day.
Get covered
In depth
Read the Fairbanks destination guide
Best months, where exactly to go, and the tours worth booking — the full guide to seeing the aurora in Fairbanks.