AuroraMeteo

Ontario, CanadaMagnetic latitude 52.7°Population 76,581437 m above sea level

Northern lights in Caledon

Caledon needs an active night: from about Kp 5 the aurora appears low over the north horizon, and it rises higher as activity grows. Since 1995 that level (Kp 5) was reached during darkness here on 646 nights.

Right now

It is still light here. Darkness starts at 19:36.

Kp 1.7 · 443 km/s · Bz -1.3

Updates every minute while this page is open.

Tonight in one minute

Not tonight

  • Solar activity Too weak: Kp 2.7 expected, 5 needed here.
  • Sky Overcast (75% cloud).
  • Darkness Dark from 19:36 to 06:34.

What to do: Not tonight — your next chance is shown just below.

Tonight

Updated 15:09 local time

0/100

Unlikely

Best around 19:00. Forecast max Kp 2.7 (this place needs 5), average cloud 75%.

Dark enough
19:36 – 06:34
Sunset
18:34 · sunrise 07:37
Moon
33% · ↑ 13:51 · ↓ 22:07
Kp neededKp index: a 0–9 measure of geomagnetic activity. The higher it is, the further from the poles the aurora reaches.
Kp 5
Kp for photos
In photos: from Kp 3.3 (a red glow low in the north).
Look towards
north (352°)
Sat 17 Oct0Kp 1.7 · cloud 1%
Sun 18 Oct0Kp 1.7 · cloud 2%
18Sat 17061218Sun 18061218Mon 190612
Chance (0–100) Dark enough Cloud cover

Score = activity (NOAA Kp and OVATION) × clear sky (MET Norway) × darkness × moonlight. Methodology

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What you would see from Caledon

Facing north. Bands show where the aurora sits at two activity levels.

10°20°30°45° Kp 7 · overheadKp 5 · 12°–23° WNW 292° NW 307° NW 322° NNW 337° N 352° N 7° NNE 22° NE 37° NE 52°
Computed from the auroral oval position for each Kp level (lower border ~105 km, ray tops ~200 km up). Horizon from elevation data out to 30 km.
KpWhat you seeLower edgeRay topsDistance to the aurora
2 Below the horizon 1° 5° 1,090 km
3 Below the horizon 3° 9° 867 km
4 Faint glow, mostly on camera 6° 14° 645 km
5 Visible to the north 12° 23° 423 km
6 Visible to the north 27° 44° 200 km
7 Overhead and all around – – –
8 Overhead and all around – – –
9 Overhead, and also to the south – – –
Angles above the horizon. Terrain in the look direction is taken into account where modelled.

The Kp scale in plain words

Kp is a 0–9 score for how strongly the Earth's magnetic field is being shaken by the solar wind. The higher it goes, the further from the poles the northern lights reach. Kp 0–2 is a quiet night; Kp 5 and above is a geomagnetic storm.

  1. Kp 0–2 Quiet Only under the auroral oval: northern Norway, Swedish and Finnish Lapland, Iceland, Alaska, northern Canada.
  2. Kp 3 Unsettled next 24 h camera in Caledon Bright in the Arctic; low on the horizon in central Scandinavia and southern Iceland.
  3. Kp 4 Active Overhead in the Arctic; low in the north from southern Norway, Sweden, Finland and northern Scotland.
  4. Kp 5 Minor storm (G1) eye in Caledon Scotland, southern Scandinavia, the Baltic states, the northern US states and southern Canada.
  5. Kp 6 Moderate storm (G2) Northern England, Denmark, northern Germany and Poland, the US Midwest — often clearer in photos than to the eye.
  6. Kp 7 Strong storm (G3) Most of the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Czechia; red glow in photos from France and the northern Alps.
  7. Kp 8 Severe storm (G4) Central Europe to the eye; red sky in photos from northern Italy, Spain, the Balkans and Turkey's Black Sea coast.
  8. Kp 9 Extreme storm (G5) Seen across Europe and the US; in photos as far south as the Mediterranean, Turkey and North Africa (May 2024).

Light pollution

Rural to suburban. Some sky glow from nearby lights. Moderate displays are fine; faint ones are easier a few kilometres out.

A noticeably darker area starts about 15 km to the west. Open in OpenStreetMap

Estimate from NASA VIIRS night-light data (sky-glow model within 50 km). Check access and private land before you go.

Hills and mountains

The horizon towards the north is open (terrain below 0.8°), so low aurora is not blocked.

From elevation data (AWS Terrain Tiles) along seven lines of sight up to 30 km.

Best months to see the aurora in Caledon

Share of nights 2005–2025 that were dark, active enough here and mostly clear.

September has been the best month (5% of nights), followed by March (3%).

0%10% July: 2% Jul August: 2% Aug September: 5% Sept October: 3% Oct November: 1% Nov December: 0% Dec January: 0% Jan February: 1% Feb March: 3% Mar April: 1% Apr May: 2% May June: 1% Jun
All years Near solar maximum Near solar minimum
MonthGood nightsClear nightsDarknessLow / high
September 5% 67% 9.1 h 11° / 23°C
October 3% 49% 10.9 h 5° / 15°C
November 0.6% 35% 12.0 h -1° / 6°C
December 0.2% 18% 12.6 h -7° / 0°C
January 0.3% 27% 12.4 h -11° / -4°C
February 1% 26% 11.4 h -11° / -3°C
March 3% 45% 9.9 h -6° / 3°C
April 1% 48% 8.3 h 0° / 10°C
Good night = darkness + activity at this place's Kp level + night-time satellite cloud ≤ 70%. GFZ Kp, NASA POWER (CERES), 1° grid. Methodology
14%chance of ≥1 good night in 3 nights (September)
22%chance of ≥1 good night in 5 nights (September)
29%chance of ≥1 good night in 7 nights (September)

Aurora nights in Caledon since 1995

Nights when Kp reached 5 or more while it was dark here.

2015: 4015402016: 2116212017: 1917192018: 61862019: 71972020: 12012021: 82182022: 1422142023: 2523252024: 1924192025: 3925392026: 202620
Per year, last 12 years. Cloud cover not included. Source: GFZ Kp.

Most recent strong nights

Practical information

Nearest airport
Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) · 36 km
Typical low / high in September
11° / 23°C
What to wear
Cool nights: layers, a windproof jacket, hat and gloves for standing still outside. Full clothing guide
Emergency number
911
Winter driving
Rules are provincial: Québec requires winter tyres (mountain-snowflake symbol or studded) on Québec-registered vehicles Dec 1–Mar 15, and BC requires winter tyres or chains on signed routes Oct 1–Mar 31 (to Apr 30 on mountain passes/high-snowfall routes); road conditions via 511 Yukon (511yukon.ca), DriveNWT (drivenwt.ca), 511 Alberta, Manitoba 511 (manitoba511.ca) and DriveBC. Road conditions
Access to land
There is no national right to roam; private land requires the owner's permission, while national/provincial parks and Crown land are generally accessible subject to park rules, which vary by province and territory.
Official space-weather service
Space Weather Canada (Natural Resources Canada)
Weather service
Environment and Climate Change Canada (weather.gc.ca)

Questions and answers

What Kp do you need to see the aurora in Caledon?

Caledon needs an active night: from about Kp 5 the aurora appears low over the north horizon, and it rises higher as activity grows.

Which way should I look for the aurora in Caledon?

Face north (about 352° from true north). At Kp 5 the lower edge of the aurora sits roughly 12° above the horizon; stronger activity lifts it higher and further across the sky.

What is the best month to see the aurora in Caledon?

Over 2005–2025, September gave the best odds in Caledon (5% of nights dark, active enough and mostly clear), followed by March (3%).

When is the aurora season in Caledon?

Caledon gets dark enough for the aurora all year round, though the long winter nights give the most hours to watch.

Is there much light pollution in Caledon?

Some sky glow from nearby lights. Moderate displays are fine; faint ones are easier a few kilometres out. A noticeably darker area starts about 15 km to the west.

When was the aurora last possible in Caledon?

The most recent night in our data when activity reached the level Caledon needs, during darkness, was 4 October 2026 (Kp 5.0). It has happened on 646 nights since 1995.

Also covered by this forecast

Villages and districts around Caledon share its forecast: within a few kilometres the sky, the Kp needed and the best direction are the same.