Canada · Aurora borealis
Is the aurora visible in Yellowknife tonight?
Right now
Wait for dark.
Kp is 0.0. Yellowknife 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.
Yellowknife 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 06:58 PM — that’s when the sky goes dark and the aurora could show.
Add a reminderHow to see the aurora from Yellowknife
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 Yellowknife?
Aurora season in Yellowknife runs roughly September – March. Here the months that pay off are March, April, and September — the table below shows why. See the full best time to see the aurora guide for the season in detail.
Yellowknife by the numbers
Between Sep 1, 2025 and Aug 31, 2026, Yellowknife had 310 nights dark enough for the aurora, and the planetary Kp reached the Kp 1+ this place needs on 307 of them. Averaged over 2015–2024 and this location's cloud cover, that works out to about 148 aurora-possible nights a year, most of them in March, April, and September.
| Month | Dark hours per night | Dark nights | Average cloud cover | Aurora-possible nights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 15.8 h | 31 | 68% | 14 |
| February | 13.3 h | 28 | 59% | 15 |
| March | 10.5 h | 31 | 58% | 17 |
| April | 7.3 h | 30 | 57% | 18 |
| May | 3 h | 23 | 53% | 15 |
| June | 0 | 0 | 59% | 0 |
| July | 0 | 14 | 56% | 9 |
| August | 6 h | 31 | 59% | 19 |
| September | 9.5 h | 30 | 66% | 15 |
| October | 12.3 h | 31 | 78% | 8 |
| November | 15.3 h | 30 | 78% | 8 |
| December | 16.5 h | 31 | 73% | 11 |
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 Yellowknife
Get out of the city lights and find a clear view to the north. These are places near Yellowknife that locals and aurora chasers use. Distances and drive times are from the city centre.
Pilots Monument, Old Town
The monument sits on top of 'the Rock' in Old Town and gives a 360° view over Great Slave Lake's bays. It is open all year and about a 15-minute walk from downtown.
It is inside town, so faint aurora is harder to see than out on the Ingraham Trail. There is a parking lot near the top.
MapProsperous Lake Boat Launch (Ingraham Trail)
A simple parking lot looking over a bay of the lake, and one of the closest dark stops on the Ingraham Trail.
Park only in the lot. The drive takes about 25 to 35 minutes.
MapMadeline Lake Territorial Day Use Area
The first lake past Prosperous Lake, with a dock, parking and fire pits. Tour groups use it a lot.
The lot can fill on busy aurora nights. The outhouses are normally closed in winter.
MapPrelude Lake Territorial Park
The largest park on the Ingraham Trail. Stairs from the day use area lead to a lookout over the lake, and the boat launch gives about a 270° view of sky and water.
Road access is year-round, but the campground facilities close outside the season. Take care on the ice.
Map
Local tips
- Never stop on the Ingraham Trail shoulder. Use a lot or pullout and wear something reflective. In winter there is heavy truck traffic, and the first section is part of the Tibbitt to Contwoyto winter road in February and March.
- The AuroraMAX camera streams the sky over Yellowknife live from sunset, August to May. It is a quick way to check whether the aurora is out before you drive.
- Avoid the Sand Pits off Highway 3 on faint nights, because the airport lights next to them can drown out the aurora. There is no cell service toward the far end of the Ingraham Trail.
The last big one
: During the solar storm that pushed aurora far into the US and Europe, clear skies let Yellowknife residents photograph a strong display over Niven Lake, Kam Lake and the houseboats.
Sources (6), checked 2026-11-07
Plan the trip
Aurora tours & stays near Yellowknife
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 Yellowknife.
See Yellowknife toursDates pre-filled for tonight
- Booking.com
Aurora cabins & lodges
Cabins, lodges and aurora-view stays near Yellowknife — 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 Yellowknife — remote, cold and weather-dependent — from a few dollars a day.
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In depth
Read the Yellowknife destination guide
Best months, where exactly to go, and the tours worth booking — the full guide to seeing the aurora in Yellowknife.