The Journal · Field guide
Northern Lights Tonight
Live space weather and tonight’s cloud forecast for the northern Lower Peninsula, read the way our aurora guide explains it.
Tonight in the northern Lower Peninsula
Checking NOAA's space weather…
Kp index now
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An average of global geomagnetic activity over three hours. Substorms can flare within minutes, so it lags what you see.
Bz (magnetic field)
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Pointing south (negative) opens the door; a sustained −10 nT or lower is when major displays break out. Pointing north, you'll see very little even with a good Kp.
Solar wind speed
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Typical is 300 to 400 km/s. Active aurora conditions run 500 to 800+ km/s.
The Kp forecast, next 24 hours
NOAA's three-hour forecast. Outlined bars are tonight's dark hours, 9 PM to 3 AM.
What you'd likely see
- Naked eye
- Long-exposure camera
On a typical Kp 4 night or a minor Kp 5 storm, the aurora often looks like a silver-gray mist over the water. Stars shine through it, and it slowly pulses or changes shape.
Sunset
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Fully dark
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The moon tonight
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Tonight's sky over the five dark-sky parks
You need a low, open northern horizon and as little artificial light as possible.
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Headlands International Dark Sky ParkMackinaw CityChecking the forecast…
Open 24 hours, every day. Park at the entrance lot and walk the paved one-mile trail to the viewing area. No entrance fee.
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Wilderness State ParkCarp LakeChecking the forecast…
Roads aren't plowed in winter beyond the park headquarters area, so plan to snowshoe or ski out. Recreation Passport.
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Thompson's Harbor State ParkPresque Isle CountyChecking the forecast…
Lot off US-23 with vault toilets; the main lot is plowed, but trails to the water can mean snowshoes after heavy snow. Recreation Passport.
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Rockport State Recreation Areanear AlpenaChecking the forecast…
Use the quarry and boat-launch lot (plowed in winter) and stay near it at night. Recreation Passport.
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Negwegon State ParkAlcona / Alpena CountyChecking the forecast…
The last stretch is a sandy two-track that may need AWD, and it isn't plowed in winter. Spotty cell service. Recreation Passport.
From late fall through winter, lake-effect clouds can cover Lake Michigan from Petoskey to Traverse City even during a big storm. When that side is socked in, the Lake Huron shore (Thompson's Harbor, Rockport, Negwegon) is often clearer.
Live data from NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center and the National Weather Service, read in your browser each time you open this page. Sun and moon times are calculated for Mackinaw City. Nothing here is a promise: the aurora is notoriously hard to forecast, so dress warm and give the sky time.