AuroraMeteo

Jönköping County, SwedenMagnetic latitude 54.5°Population 10,157215 m above sea level

Northern lights in Eksjö

Eksjö needs an active night: from about Kp 4 the aurora appears low over the north horizon, and it rises higher as activity grows. Since 1995 that level (Kp 4.7) was reached during darkness here on 966 nights.

Right now

Quiet right now (Kp 1.3).

Kp 1.3 · 486 km/s · Bz 3.0

Latest measured half-hour activity worldwide: Hp30 3.3.

Updates every minute while this page is open. Ground data: GFZ Potsdam Hp30 index (CC BY 4.0).

Tonight in one minute

Not tonight

  • Solar activity Strong enough: Kp 4 expected, 4 needed here.
  • Sky Overcast (99% cloud).
  • Darkness Dark from 19:18 to 06:14.

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

Tonight

Updated 23:54 local time

2/100

Unlikely

Best around 04:00. Forecast max Kp 4.0 (this place needs 4), average cloud 99%.

Dark enough
19:18 – 06:14
Sunset
17:51 · sunrise 07:40
Moon
34% · ↑ 15:39 · ↓ 19:45
Kp neededKp index: a 0–9 measure of geomagnetic activity. The higher it is, the further from the poles the aurora reaches.
Kp 4
Kp for photos
In photos: from Kp 2.3 (a red glow low in the north).
Look towards
north (0°)
Sat 17 Oct5Kp 2.0 · cloud 18%
Sun 18 Oct2Kp 1.7 · cloud 68%
Sat 17 04 · 2/100 · Kp 4.0 · cloud 96% Sat 17 05 · 1/100 · Kp 3.3 · cloud 98% Sat 17 20 · 1/100 · Kp 2.0 · cloud 80% Sat 17 21 · 3/100 · Kp 2.0 · cloud 32% Sat 17 22 · 5/100 · Kp 2.0 · cloud 1% Sat 17 23 · 3/100 · Kp 1.7 · cloud 1% Sun 18 00 · 3/100 · Kp 1.7 · cloud 0% Sun 18 01 · 3/100 · Kp 1.7 · cloud 0% Sun 18 02 · 3/100 · Kp 1.7 · cloud 0% Sun 18 03 · 3/100 · Kp 1.7 · cloud 0% Sun 18 04 · 3/100 · Kp 1.7 · cloud 0% Sun 18 05 · 3/100 · Kp 1.7 · cloud 0% Sun 18 06 · 1/100 · Kp 1.7 · cloud 0% Sun 18 22 · 1/100 · Kp 1.3 · cloud 37% Sun 18 23 · 2/100 · Kp 1.7 · cloud 43% Mon 19 00 · 1/100 · Kp 1.7 · cloud 71% Mon 19 02 · 1/100 · Kp 1.7 · cloud 66% Mon 19 03 · 1/100 · Kp 1.7 · cloud 61% Mon 19 04 · 1/100 · Kp 1.7 · cloud 72% Sat 17061218Sun 18061218Mon 19061218
Chance (0–100) Dark enough Cloud cover

Cloud layers and weather

High cloud Mid cloud Low cloud Sat 17061218Sun 18061218Mon 19061218
Low cloudMid cloudHigh cloud Dark enough

Low cloud blocks the aurora completely. Thin high cloud often still lets a bright aurora shine through, so a sky with only high cloud is worth a look.

Dark hours
TimeFri, 23Sat, 02Sat, 05Sat, 20Sat, 23Sun, 02Sun, 05Sun, 20Sun, 23Mon, 02Mon, 05Mon, 20
Low cloud100%100%93%0%0%0%0%2%22%16%21%11%
Mid cloud66%99%84%97%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%
High cloud2%5%36%0%0%0%0%3%3%88%52%38%
Temperature14 °C10 °C9 °C7 °C5 °C4 °C3 °C5 °C2 °C1 °C2 °C4 °C
Feels like13 °C7 °C7 °C3 °C1 °C0 °C-1 °C2 °C-1 °C-1 °C-1 °C1 °C
Wind4 m/s3 m/s3 m/s4 m/s4 m/s3 m/s2 m/s1 m/s1 m/s1 m/s1 m/s2 m/s
Visibility10 km5.3 km36 km50 km50 km50 km42 km46 km36 km35 km36 km46 km

Cloud layers and weather: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0).

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

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Preview

What you would see from Eksjö

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

10°20°30°45° Kp 6 · overheadKp 4 · 11°–22° WNW 300° NW 315° NNW 330° NNW 345° N 0° NNE 15° NNE 30° NE 45° ENE 60°
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 3° 8° 890 km
3 Faint glow, mostly on camera 6° 13° 667 km
4 Visible to the north 11° 22° 445 km
5 Visible to the north 24° 41° 222 km
6 Overhead and all around – – –
7 Overhead and all around – – –
8 Overhead, and also to the south – – –
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 camera in Eksjö Only under the auroral oval: northern Norway, Swedish and Finnish Lapland, Iceland, Alaska, northern Canada.
  2. Kp 3 Unsettled Bright in the Arctic; low on the horizon in central Scandinavia and southern Iceland.
  3. Kp 4 Active next 24 h eye in Eksjö Overhead in the Arctic; low in the north from southern Norway, Sweden, Finland and northern Scotland.
  4. Kp 5 Minor storm (G1) 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 5 km to the north. 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 Eksjö

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

September has been the best month (8% of nights), followed by March (6%).

0%10%20% July: 0% Jul August: 4% Aug September: 8% Sept October: 5% Oct November: 5% Nov December: 4% Dec January: 2% Jan February: 3% Feb March: 6% Mar April: 5% Apr May: 2% May – Jun
All years Near solar maximum Near solar minimum
MonthGood nightsClear nightsDarknessLow / high
September 8% 52% 8.3 h 9° / 16°C
October 5% 42% 10.8 h 5° / 10°C
November 5% 31% 12.8 h 1° / 4°C
December 4% 21% 13.6 h -3° / 0°C
January 2% 15% 13.3 h -5° / -1°C
February 3% 16% 11.5 h -5° / 0°C
March 6% 35% 9.1 h -2° / 4°C
April 5% 49% 6.0 h 2° / 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
22%chance of ≥1 good night in 3 nights (September)
34%chance of ≥1 good night in 5 nights (September)
44%chance of ≥1 good night in 7 nights (September)

Darkness through the year

Aurora nights in Eksjö since 1995

Nights when Kp reached 4.7 or more while it was dark here.

2015: 3515352016: 4316432017: 3217322018: 1318132019: 81982020: 32032021: 1621162022: 3322332023: 2923292024: 2824282025: 5725572026: 282628
Per year, last 12 years. Cloud cover not included. Source: GFZ Kp.

Most recent strong nights

Practical information

Nearest airport
Jönköping Airport (JKG) · 55 km
Linköping City Airport (LPI) · 92 km
Typical low / high in September
9° / 16°C
What to wear
Cool nights: layers, a windproof jacket, hat and gloves for standing still outside. Full clothing guide
Emergency number
112
Winter driving
From 1 December to 31 March, cars must use winter tyres (Alpine-marked or studded) with at least 3 mm of tread whenever winter road conditions apply. Studded tyres are allowed from 1 October to 15 April, and at other times when winter conditions apply or are expected. Trafikverket runs the road traffic information service. Road conditions
Access to land
Allemansrätten lets anyone walk and stay temporarily on others' land, including pitching a tent for a night or two, provided you don't disturb and don't destroy. It does not cover gardens next to homes, crops or grazing land, or motorised off-road driving. National parks and nature reserves can have stricter rules.
Official space-weather service
Swedish Institute of Space Physics (IRF), Kiruna: all-sky camera and IRF Aurora Alert app
Weather service
SMHI (Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute)

Questions and answers

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

Eksjö needs an active night: from about Kp 4 the aurora appears low over the north horizon, and it rises higher as activity grows.

Which way should I look for the aurora in Eksjö?

Face north (about 0° from true north). At Kp 4 the lower edge of the aurora sits roughly 11° above the horizon; stronger activity lifts it higher and further across the sky.

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

Over 2005–2025, September gave the best odds in Eksjö (8% of nights dark, active enough and mostly clear), followed by March (6%).

When is the aurora season in Eksjö?

From 20 May to 23 July the sky in Eksjö never gets dark enough. Outside that period the aurora can be seen whenever activity and clouds allow.

Is there much light pollution in Eksjö?

Some sky glow from nearby lights. Moderate displays are fine; faint ones are easier a few kilometres out. A noticeably darker area starts about 5 km to the north.

When was the aurora last possible in Eksjö?

Activity last reached storm level (Kp 5 or more) during darkness in Eksjö on 10 October 2026 (Kp 7.0) — 966 such nights since 1995. Here the aurora also appears on many quieter nights.

Also covered by this forecast

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