Night Sky Copilot

Northern Lights in Churchill, Manitoba

Aurora over the tundra in the polar bear capital of the world.

Best months
January – March (aurora season), Oct-Nov (polar bears + occasional aurora)
Odds
3 nights ≈ 85%+ in Feb-Mar
Activity needed
Kp 1+ (storm nights)

Why Churchill, Manitoba works

  • Under the auroral oval with 300+ aurora nights a year recorded.
  • Purpose-built tundra viewing domes and heated Plexiglas lounges.
  • February-March combines peak aurora frequency with the driest skies.

Getting there

Fly from Winnipeg (no road access).

Where to base yourself

Town lodges plus dedicated aurora domes outside town.

Tours worth taking

Aurora season packages (Feb-Mar) are specialist-operated and typically include tundra dome nights.

The sky over Churchill, Manitoba right now

The same live nowcast we run for every location: real solar wind, real clouds, both verdicts. No other destination guide can show you this.

Tonight's aurora odds

Your chance of catching aurora at any point tonight, combining the Kp forecast for tonight's dark hours, the cloud forecast, and the moon.

Naked eye
32%
Phone camera
32%

How we get this: forecast Kp peaks at 3.7 tonight, a 98% chance of reaching your eye threshold (Kp 0+) and 98% for camera (Kp 0+), times a 33% chance of usable sky in your clearest dark hours.

Nowcast

Live

Can you see it in Churchill right now? Live Kp, darkness, and clouds — refreshed every two minutes.

Eyes & camera
Waiting for darkness

The sky is not dark enough yet. Dark enough for aurora at 2:12 AM. Geomagnetic activity is already at your visibility threshold, so check back after dark.

Best window tonight
Workable
12 AM2 AM

Workable for cameras — not perfect, but the best hours

Clouds
57%
Forecast Kp
3.0

What's driving tonight's forecast

The live inputs behind the verdicts and odds: current space weather and hour-by-hour clouds.

Kp now
0.7
need 0+ (eye)
Bz (field tilt)
-2.5 nT
northward = quiet
Solar wind
432 km/s
typical
Earth arrival
~58 min
930,000 mi away
Aurora power
19 GW
hemispheric
Clouds now
100%
moon 8%
Cloud cover, next 24 hours
2 PMtaller bar = clearer sky1 PM

3-day Kp outlook

NOAA's planetary Kp forecast in 3-hour bins. One global number, colored against what Churchill needs (eye Kp 0+ · camera Kp 0+).

Sun, Sep 13
3.7
peak Kp
Mon, Sep 14
3.7
peak Kp
Tue, Sep 15
3.7
peak Kp
Sun, Sep 13
peak 3.7
1 PM10 PM
Mon, Sep 14
peak 3.7
1 AM10 PM
Tue, Sep 15
peak 3.7
1 AM7 PM
QuietCamera possibleEye possible
Magnetic latitude 67.2°Eye needs Kp 0+ · camera Kp 0+ · overhead Kp 0+Dark enough at 2:12 AMMoon: Waxing CrescentUpdated 7:53 PM

Churchill, Manitoba: trip FAQ

When is the best time to see the northern lights in Churchill, Manitoba?

January – March (aurora season), Oct-Nov (polar bears + occasional aurora). Plan around darkness and weather, not just aurora activity: at this latitude, you'll want geomagnetic activity of roughly Kp 1+, so check the live forecast before committing to a night out.

How many nights should I plan in Churchill, Manitoba?

3 nights ≈ 85%+ in Feb-Mar. Aurora is a numbers game: each additional clear night compounds your odds, so favor trip length over luxury if you have to choose.

How do I get to Churchill, Manitoba?

Fly from Winnipeg (no road access).

Where should I base myself in Churchill, Manitoba?

Town lodges plus dedicated aurora domes outside town.

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