Ohio, United StatesMagnetic latitude 48.1°Population 3,179290 m above sea level
Can you see the northern lights in West Union?
From West Union the aurora is seen only during geomagnetic storms (about Kp 7 or more), usually as a glow low in the north. Cameras often pick it up before the eye does. Since 1995 that level (Kp 7) was reached during darkness here on 73 nights.
Right now
It is still light here. Darkness starts at 19:46.
Latest measured half-hour activity worldwide: Hp30 1.
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 Too weak: Kp 4.7 expected, 7 needed here.
- Sky Mostly clear (0% cloud).
- Darkness Dark from 19:46 to 06:51.
What to do: Not tonight — your next chance is shown just below.
Tuesday 20 October — No · Kp 4.7 · Forecast cloud: 0%. · Reliability: medium
Each box is one night: the colour shows the chance, the number the expected Kp. Tap a night for details.
📅 Add these nights to your calendar — it updates itself (.ics)
How far ahead can the northern lights be forecast?
- Minutes to an hour: satellites 1.5 million km away measure the solar wind before it reaches Earth. This is the surest warning — the “Right now” box uses it.
- 1–3 days: when the Sun throws out a cloud of particles, it takes one to three days to arrive. NOAA's 3-hourly forecast covers these nights; the timing can still be off by a few hours.
- 4–27 days: the Sun turns once every 27 days, and regions that disturbed Earth's field last time often do it again. NOAA's 27-day outlook gives this rough trend — new eruptions are not in it yet.
Tonight
Updated 09:06 local time
Unlikely
Best around 19:00. Forecast max Kp 4.7 (this place needs 7), average cloud 0%.
- Dark enough
- 19:46 – 06:51
- Sunset
- 18:48 · sunrise 07:49
- Moon
- 68% · ↑ 16:03 · ↓ 02:50
- Kp neededKp index: a 0–9 measure of geomagnetic activity. The higher it is, the further from the poles the aurora reaches.
- Kp 7
- Kp for photos
- In photos: from Kp 5.3 (a red glow low in the north).
- Look towards
- north (356°)
Cloud layers and weather
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.
| Time | Tue, 19 | Tue, 22 | Wed, 01 | Wed, 04 | Wed, 19 | Wed, 22 | Thu, 01 | Thu, 04 | Thu, 19 | Thu, 22 | Fri, 01 | Fri, 04 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low cloud | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Mid cloud | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| High cloud | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Temperature | 14 °C | 11 °C | 10 °C | 8 °C | 15 °C | 12 °C | 10 °C | 8 °C | 15 °C | 12 °C | 11 °C | 9 °C |
| Feels like | 14 °C | 11 °C | 9 °C | 7 °C | 15 °C | 12 °C | 10 °C | 8 °C | 15 °C | 12 °C | 11 °C | 8 °C |
| Wind | 2 m/s | 2 m/s | 1 m/s | 1 m/s | 1 m/s | 1 m/s | 1 m/s | 1 m/s | 2 m/s | 2 m/s | 2 m/s | 2 m/s |
Cloud layers and weather: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0).
Score = activity (NOAA Kp and OVATION) × clear sky (MET Norway) × darkness × moonlight. Methodology
Weather in West Union
The aurora only shows through clear skies, so the weather matters as much as the Kp index. Here is the general forecast for West Union: temperature, wind and the chance of rain for the coming days.
Planning further ahead? See the hour-by-hour weather forecast for West Union on Atlas of Seasons.
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What you would see from West Union
Facing north. Bands show where the aurora sits at two activity levels.
| Kp | What you see | Lower edge | Ray tops | Distance to the aurora |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Below the horizon | -3° | 0° | 1,601 km |
| 3 | Below the horizon | -2° | 2° | 1,379 km |
| 4 | Below the horizon | 0° | 4° | 1,156 km |
| 5 | Below the horizon | 2° | 8° | 934 km |
| 6 | Faint glow, mostly on camera | 5° | 12° | 712 km |
| 7 | Visible to the north | 10° | 20° | 489 km |
| 8 | Visible to the north | 20° | 35° | 267 km |
| 9 | Visible to the north | 67° | 77° | 44 km |
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.
- Kp 0–2 Quiet Only under the auroral oval: northern Norway, Swedish and Finnish Lapland, Iceland, Alaska, northern Canada.
- Kp 3 Unsettled 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) next 24 h camera in West Union 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) eye in West Union 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).
Light pollution
Rural to suburban. Some sky glow from nearby lights. Moderate displays are fine; faint ones are easier a few kilometres out.
Estimate from NASA VIIRS night-light data (sky-glow model within 50 km). Check access and private land before you go.
Hills and mountains
Terrain is not modelled for this place.
From elevation data (AWS Terrain Tiles) along seven lines of sight up to 30 km.
Best months to see the aurora in West Union
Share of nights 2005–2025 that were dark, active enough here and mostly clear.
September has been the best month (1% of nights), followed by May (1%).
| Month | Good nights | Clear nights | Darkness | Low / high |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September | 1% | 78% | 9.6 h | 14° / 27°C |
| October | 0.6% | 66% | 10.9 h | 7° / 20°C |
| November | 0.5% | 56% | 11.9 h | 1° / 12°C |
| December | 0.2% | 34% | 12.4 h | -3° / 6°C |
| January | 0.2% | 32% | 12.0 h | -5° / 3°C |
| February | 0% | 46% | 11.0 h | -5° / 5°C |
| March | 0% | 55% | 10.0 h | 0° / 12°C |
| April | 0.2% | 54% | 8.5 h | 5° / 18°C |
Aurora nights in West Union since 1995
Nights when Kp reached 7 or more while it was dark here.
Most recent strong nights
- 3 July 2026 · Kp 7.0
- 20 March 2026 · Kp 7.0
- 20 January 2026 · Kp 7.3
- 19 January 2026 · Kp 7.7
- 12 November 2025 · Kp 7.3
- 11 November 2025 · Kp 8.7
- 29 September 2025 · Kp 7.0
- 2 June 2025 · Kp 7.0
Practical information
- Nearest airport
- Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) · 101 km
- Typical low / high in September
- 14° / 27°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
- Tyre and chain rules are set at state level; check Alaska 511 (511.alaska.gov, Alaska DOT&PF) for Alaska roads, or the relevant state's 511 service elsewhere. Road conditions
- Access to land
- There is no general right to roam; trespass law is set by each state, so stay on public land (national parks, national forests, BLM land) or get the landowner's permission, and follow each park's night-time and parking rules.
- Official space-weather service
- NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (aurora dashboard)
- Weather service
- National Weather Service (NOAA)
Questions and answers
What Kp do you need to see the aurora in West Union?
From West Union the aurora is seen only during geomagnetic storms (about Kp 7 or more), usually as a glow low in the north. Cameras often pick it up before the eye does.
Which way should I look for the aurora in West Union?
Face north (about 356° from true north). At Kp 7 the lower edge of the aurora sits roughly 10° above the horizon; stronger activity lifts it higher and further across the sky.
What is the best month to see the aurora in West Union?
Over 2005–2025, September gave the best odds in West Union (1% of nights dark, active enough and mostly clear), followed by May (1%).
When is the aurora season in West Union?
West Union 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 West Union?
Some sky glow from nearby lights. Moderate displays are fine; faint ones are easier a few kilometres out.
When was the aurora last possible in West Union?
The most recent night in our data when activity reached the level West Union needs, during darkness, was 3 July 2026 (Kp 7.0). It has happened on 73 nights since 1995.
Also covered by this forecast
Villages and districts around West Union share its forecast: within a few kilometres the sky, the Kp needed and the best direction are the same.
- Township of Tiffin 4 km
- Beasley Fork 6 km
- Catbird 6 km
- Panhandle 6 km
- Whippoorwill 6 km
- Adams County 8 km
- Bentonville 8 km
- Township of Liberty 8 km
- Dunkinsville 9 km
- Fairview 9 km
- Township of Monroe 9 km
- Pence 11 km
- Township of Oliver 11 km
- Wheat Ridge 11 km
- Wrightsville 11 km
- Unity 11 km
- Cherry Fork 12 km
- Eckmansville 12 km
- Gemmer 12 km
- Lynx 12 km
- Township of Manchester 12 km
- Township of Wayne 12 km
- Concord 13 km
- Irwin 13 km
- Township of Brush Creek 13 km
- Clayton 13 km
- Harshasville 13 km
- Tulip 13 km
- City of Concord 13 km
- Cedar Mills 14 km
- Decatur 14 km
- Youngsville 14 km
- Covedale 15 km
- Fawcett 15 km
- Scrub Ridge 15 km
- Township of Byrd 16 km
- Jacksonville 16 km
- Seaman 17 km
- Steam Furnace 17 km
- Lawshe 18 km