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Northern Lights in California, United States

In California the aurora is visible from about Kp 7.7, first near Redding. Paradise has the darkest skies among the larger places.

Next chance in California

None of the next 20 nights looks active enough here: you need about Kp 8.3 by eye or Kp 6.7 for photos. Big storms usually show up 1–3 days ahead — this page updates by itself.

PlaceKp neededKp for photosLook towardsLight pollutionPopulation
Redding 8.3 6.7 NNE Bright suburban sky 91,582
Eureka 8.3 6.7 NNE Bright suburban sky 27,017
Susanville 8.3 6.7 NNE Bright suburban sky 15,247
Red Bluff 8.3 6.7 NNE Bright suburban sky 14,131
Chico 8.7 7 NNE Bright suburban sky 121,345
Paradise 8.7 7 NNE Rural to suburban 26,476
Oroville 8.7 7 NNE Suburban sky 16,260
Roseville 9 7.3 NNE City sky 130,269
Citrus Heights 9 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 87,056
Folsom 9 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 76,375
Yuba City 9 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 66,941
Rocklin 9 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 61,213
Lincoln 9 7.3 NNE Suburban sky 49,757
Antelope 9 7.3 NNE City sky 45,770
North Highlands 9 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 42,694
El Dorado Hills 9 7.3 NNE Rural to suburban 42,108
Orangevale 9 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 33,960
Foothill Farms 9 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 33,121
Fair Oaks 9 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 30,912
Ukiah 9 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 15,917
Auburn 9 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 13,776
Marysville 9 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 12,216
Placerville 9 7.3 NNE Rural to suburban 10,650
Los Angeles 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 3,820,914
San Diego 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 1,404,452
San Jose 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 997,368
San Francisco 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 827,526
Fresno 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 542,107
Sacramento 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 524,943
Long Beach 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 474,140
Oakland 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 419,267
Bakersfield 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 373,640
Anaheim 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 350,742
Riverside 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 317,261
Santa Ana 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 310,227
Stockton 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 305,658
Chula Vista 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 265,757
Irvine 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 256,927
Fremont 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 232,206
San Bernardino 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 216,108
Fontana 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 212,704
Modesto 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 211,266
Oxnard 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 207,254
Moreno Valley 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 204,198
Huntington Beach 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 201,899
Glendale 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 201,020
Santa Clarita 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 182,371
Santa Rosa 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 178,127
Oceanside 9+ 7.3 NNE Suburban sky 175,691
Garden Grove 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 175,393
Rancho Cucamonga 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 175,236
Ontario 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 171,214
Elk Grove 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 166,913
Corona 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 164,226
Lancaster 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 161,103
Palmdale 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 158,351
Hayward 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 158,289
Salinas 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 157,380
Sunnyvale 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 155,805
Pomona 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 153,266
Escondido 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 151,038
Valencia 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 148,456
Torrance 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 143,592
Pasadena 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 142,250
Orange 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 140,992
Fullerton 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 140,847
Visalia 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 130,104
Thousand Oaks 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 129,339
Concord 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 128,667
Simi Valley 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 126,788
East Los Angeles 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 126,496
Santa Clara 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 126,215
Victorville 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 122,225
Vallejo 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 121,692
Berkeley 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 120,972
El Monte 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 116,732
Carlsbad 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 114,746
Downey 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 114,219
Costa Mesa 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 113,204
Fairfield 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 112,970
Inglewood 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 111,666
Antioch 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 110,542
Temecula 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 110,003
Murrieta 9+ 7.3 NNE Suburban sky 109,830
Richmond 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 109,708
West Covina 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 108,484
Norwalk 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 107,140
Daly City 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 106,562
Burbank 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 105,319
Santa Maria 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 105,093
Clovis 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 104,180
El Cajon 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 103,679
San Mateo 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 103,536
Rialto 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 103,132
Vista 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 100,890
Vacaville 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 96,803
Ventura 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 96,769
Hesperia 9+ 7.3 NNE Suburban sky 93,295
Santa Monica 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 93,220
Arden-Arcade 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 92,186
Santa Barbara 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 91,842
San Leandro 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 90,712
Livermore 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 88,126
Indio 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 87,533
Whittier 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 87,438
Tracy 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 87,075
Chino 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 85,595
Alhambra 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 85,551
Redwood City 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 85,288
Hemet 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 83,861
Merced 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 82,436
Mountain View 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 80,435
Napa 9+ 7.3 NNE Suburban sky 80,434
Pleasanton 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 79,510
Alameda 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 78,630
Chino Hills 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 78,309
Milpitas 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 77,604
Baldwin Park 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 77,071
Upland 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 76,443
San Ramon 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 76,134
Manteca 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 75,448
Perris 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 74,971
Union City 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 74,494
Turlock 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 72,292
Apple Valley 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 72,174
Redlands 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 71,035
Rancho Cordova 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 71,017
Pittsburg 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 69,424
Walnut Creek 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 68,910
Yorba Linda 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 67,973
Davis 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 67,666
Camarillo 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 67,608
South San Francisco 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 67,271
Palo Alto 9+ 7.3 NNE Suburban sky 66,853
Lodi 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 64,596
Santa Cruz 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 64,220
Pico Rivera 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 64,218
Madera 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 64,208
Montebello 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 63,921
Florence-Graham 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 63,387
Tulare 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 62,315
La Habra 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 62,131
Carmichael 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 61,762
Monterey Park 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 61,468
Castro Valley 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 61,388
Cupertino 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 60,572
Petaluma 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 60,438
Huntington Park 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 59,430
San Rafael 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 59,162
Eastvale 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 59,039
Brentwood 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 58,968
Woodland 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 58,567
Arcadia 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 58,408
Dublin 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 57,721
South Whittier 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 57,156
Diamond Bar 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 56,897
Porterville 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 56,058
Hanford 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 55,659
Novato 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 55,530
Rosemead 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 54,908
Highland 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 54,854
Colton 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 54,621
Hacienda Heights 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 54,038
Cathedral City 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 53,826
Watsonville 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 53,628
Yucaipa 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 53,328
Gilroy 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 53,231
Delano 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 52,733
West Sacramento 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 52,721
Glendora 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 52,009
Palm Desert 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 51,869
Azusa 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 49,690
Rowland Heights 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 48,993
Covina 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 48,984
Ceres 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 47,963
Florin 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 47,513
Palm Springs 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 47,371
San Luis Obispo 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 47,339
San Jacinto 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 46,951
Newark 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 45,336
Coachella 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 44,635
Danville 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 44,400
Lompoc 9+ 7.3 NNE Suburban sky 44,164
Beaumont 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 43,811
San Bruno 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 43,185
Bell Gardens 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 43,106
Morgan Hill 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 42,948
Altadena 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 42,777
Rohnert Park 9+ 7.3 NNE Suburban sky 42,407
Brea 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 41,944
Campbell 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 41,117
La Puente 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 40,745
La Quinta 9+ 7.3 NNE Suburban sky 40,476
San Gabriel 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 40,424
Oakley 9+ 7.3 NNE Suburban sky 39,813
Pacifica 9+ 7.3 NNE Suburban sky 39,260
Montclair 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 38,690
Martinez 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 38,137
Monrovia 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 37,463
Hollister 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 37,462
Los Banos 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 37,457
Temple City 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 36,365
Claremont 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 36,283
Bell 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 36,205
Moorpark 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 36,104
Bayview-Hunters Point 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 34,835
Pleasant Hill 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 34,810
San Dimas 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 34,630
Rubidoux 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 34,280
Foster City 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 33,477
Menlo Park 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 33,449
Adelanto 9+ 7.3 NNE Rural to suburban 33,166
Seaside 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 33,025
Oildale 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 32,684
La Verne 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 32,681
Saratoga 9+ 7.3 NNE Suburban sky 30,968
Banning 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 30,945
Goleta 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 30,944
Los Gatos 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 30,705
Los Altos 9+ 7.3 NNE Suburban sky 30,671
Santa Paula 9+ 7.3 NNE Suburban sky 30,546
Burlingame 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 30,459
San Pablo 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 30,407
Walnut 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 30,237
San Carlos 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 29,931
Atascadero 9+ 7.3 NNE Suburban sky 29,819
East Palo Alto 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 29,662
Atwater 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 29,237
Orcutt 9+ 7.3 NNE Rural to suburban 28,905
Ridgecrest 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 28,780
Monterey 9+ 7.3 NNE Suburban sky 28,338
Desert Hot Springs 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 28,335
Benicia 9+ 7.3 NNE Suburban sky 28,167
Suisun City 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 28,111
Maywood 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 27,888
Windsor 9+ 7.3 NNE Suburban sky 27,464
Belmont 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 27,218
Paso Robles 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 27,157
Agua Caliente 9+ 7.3 NNE Rural to suburban 27,090
Norco 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 26,289
Wasco 9+ 7.3 NNE Suburban sky 26,279
South Pasadena 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 26,151
Twentynine Palms 9+ 7.3 NNE Rural to suburban 26,025
Lafayette 9+ 7.3 NNE Suburban sky 25,843
Lemoore 9+ 7.3 NNE Suburban sky 25,647
Reedley 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 25,569
West Whittier-Los Nietos 9+ 7.3 NNE City sky 25,540
Hercules 9+ 7.3 NNE Suburban sky 25,314
Galt 9+ 7.3 NNE Bright suburban sky 25,303
Soledad 9+ 7.3 NNE Suburban sky 25,003

Best months in California

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

Activity of Kp 8.3 or more is too rare here for monthly odds to be meaningful. The table still shows how often nights are clear and dark.

0%10% July: 0% Jul August: 0% Aug September: 0% Sept October: 0% Oct November: 0% Nov December: 0% Dec January: 0% Jan February: 0% Feb March: 0% Mar April: 0% Apr May: 0% May June: 0% Jun
All years Near solar maximum Near solar minimum
  1. Kp 0–2 Quiet 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 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) camera in Redding 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) eye in Redding 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).

The town pages in this region also cover 3,911 villages and districts nearby.

Smaller places