Lithuania114 places
Northern Lights in Lithuania: Where and When to See Them
In Lithuania the aurora needs an active night. It shows up first near Mažeikiai, from about Kp 4.7. Near Mažeikiai, September has historically been the best month (6% of nights).
Where the aurora is easiest to see
| Place | Region | Kp needed | Kp for photos | Magnetic latitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mažeikiai | Telšiai County | 4.7 | 3 | 53.0° |
| Biržai | Panevėžys County | 4.7 | 3 | 52.9° |
| Naujoji Akmenė | Šiauliai County | 4.7 | 3 | 53.0° |
| Joniškis | Šiauliai County | 4.7 | 3 | 52.9° |
| Klaipeda City Municipality | Klaipėda County | 5 | 3.3 | 52.3° |
| Šiauliai | Šiauliai County | 5 | 3.3 | 52.6° |
| Panevėžys | Panevėžys County | 5 | 3.3 | 52.4° |
| Utena | Utena County | 5 | 3.3 | 52.1° |
Largest cities
| Place | Population | Kp needed |
|---|---|---|
| Vilnius | 542,366 | 5.7 |
| Kaunas | 289,380 | 5.3 |
| Klaipeda City Municipality | 172,292 | 5 |
| Šiauliai | 99,462 | 5 |
| Panevėžys | 85,885 | 5 |
| Alytus | 49,195 | 5.7 |
| Marijampolė | 34,975 | 5.7 |
| Mažeikiai | 32,470 | 4.7 |
Storm watch: can you see the northern lights from Lithuania?
Rarely, but yes. In strong storms (about Kp 3 or more) the red upper layer of the aurora, 300–400 km up, rises above the northern horizon of Lithuania. Phone and camera sensors pick it up far more easily than the eye.
…
| Place | Kp for photos | Kp for the eye | Photo nights since 1995 | Last time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mažeikiai | 3 | 4.7 | 968 | Oct 2026 |
| Biržai | 3 | 4.7 | 966 | Oct 2026 |
| Naujoji Akmenė | 3 | 4.7 | 964 | Oct 2026 |
| Joniškis | 3 | 4.7 | 966 | Oct 2026 |
| Klaipeda City Municipality | 3.3 | 5 | 971 | Oct 2026 |
| Šiauliai | 3.3 | 5 | 967 | Oct 2026 |
| Panevėžys | 3.3 | 5 | 970 | Oct 2026 |
| Utena | 3.3 | 5 | 972 | Oct 2026 |
| Telšiai | 3.3 | 5 | 970 | Oct 2026 |
| Plungė | 3.3 | 5 | 970 | Oct 2026 |
| Palanga | 3.3 | 5 | 970 | Oct 2026 |
| Visaginas | 3.3 | 5 | 971 | Oct 2026 |
When it was last seen from Lithuania
Nights with enough activity for photos from Mažeikiai during darkness (Kp 4.7 or more):
- 10 October 2026 · Kp 7.0
- 4 October 2026 · Kp 5.7
- 7 September 2026 · Kp 4.7
- 18 August 2026 · Kp 5.3
- 5 June 2026 · Kp 5.0
- 15 May 2026 · Kp 6.0
- 4 May 2026 · Kp 6.0
- 30 April 2026 · Kp 4.7
- 20 April 2026 · Kp 5.0
- 18 April 2026 · Kp 4.7
How to catch it from Lithuania
- Watch the forecast: you need about Kp 3 or more — a strong to severe storm. These arrive a day or two after a big eruption on the Sun, so there is usually some warning.
- Get away from city lights and find an open view to the north: a coast, a hill or a field. The glow sits low over the horizon.
- Use your phone's night mode or a camera on a tripod (3–15 s). Check the photo: a red or pink sky to the north is the aurora.
- The best hours are usually 22:00–02:00 local time, but in big storms it can start right after dusk.
- Kp 0–2 Quiet Only under the auroral oval: northern Norway, Swedish and Finnish Lapland, Iceland, Alaska, northern Canada.
- Kp 3 Unsettled camera in Mažeikiai Bright in the Arctic; low on the horizon in central Scandinavia and southern Iceland.
- Kp 4 Active Overhead in the Arctic; low in the north from southern Norway, Sweden, Finland and northern Scotland.
- Kp 5 Minor storm (G1) eye in Mažeikiai Scotland, southern Scandinavia, the Baltic states, the northern US states and southern Canada.
- Kp 6 Moderate storm (G2) Northern England, Denmark, northern Germany and Poland, the US Midwest — often clearer in photos than to the eye.
- Kp 7 Strong storm (G3) Most of the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Czechia; red glow in photos from France and the northern Alps.
- 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.
- 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).
Live sightings
Where visitors are reporting the aurora right now. A place climbs with every report and drops again as the reports age.
- …
Latest reports
Regions of Lithuania
- Vilnius CountyKp 5.3+ · 4
- Kaunas CountyKp 5.3+ · 3
- Klaipėda CountyKp 4.7+ · 5
- Šiauliai CountyKp 4.7+ · 5
- Panevėžys CountyKp 4.7+ · 3
- Alytus CountyKp 5.7+ · 2
- Telšiai CountyKp 4.7+ · 3
- Utena CountyKp 5+ · 3
- Marijampolė CountyKp 5.3+ · 1
- Tauragė CountyKp 5+ · 2
Practical information for Lithuania
- Emergency number
- 112
- Winter driving
- From 10 Nov summer tyres are prohibited: vehicles up to 3.5 t need winter (studded or non-studded) or all-season tyres until 31 Mar; studded tyres must be removed by 10 Apr. Road conditions: eismoinfo.lt, the state road agency's traffic and road-weather map. Road conditions
- Drones
- Lithuania applies the EU EASA drone framework (operator registration required for drones of 250 g or more or with a camera); national authority: Transport Competence Agency, https://tka.lt.
- Weather service
- Lithuanian Hydrometeorological Service (LHMT)
Compiled from official government, road-authority and weather-service sources. Rules change; check them before you travel.