Can you see the aurora borealis from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan?

Yes, during strong enough geomagnetic activity. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan sits at about 59.6° geomagnetic latitude, so aurora becomes visible low on the northern horizon at around Kp 1, and the oval expands over it at around Kp 3, when displays can reach high into the sky rather than staying low. Kp is a planetary three-hour index: it tells you how far the auroral oval reaches, not exactly where the aurora will be in your sky at a given moment.

What Kp index is needed to see the aurora in Saskatoon?

About Kp 1 for a display low on the horizon, and about Kp 3 before the oval expands over you and displays reach high into the sky. Kp is a planetary index, so the number you need depends on your geomagnetic latitude rather than your position on a map — and it describes how far the oval reaches, not where the arc will be at a given moment.

When is the best time to look for the aurora in Saskatoon?

Aurora is most active around magnetic midnight, roughly 22:00–02:00 local time. You also need a properly dark sky, which is not the same as "after sunset". Tonight in Saskatoon the sky is dark enough from about 18:37 until 07:06. Clear skies matter as much as the Kp number.

How often does aurora come within reach of Saskatoon?

Kp reached 1 or more during the night hours in Saskatoon on 331 of the last 364 nights, which is about the level at which aurora comes into range here. That counts geomagnetic activity only: cloud, moonlight and summer daylight decide how many of those nights anything could be seen.

Northern lights in Saskatoon tonight

Can you see the northern lights in Saskatoon? Yes, often. Saskatoon needs about Kp 1 on the 0 to 9 scale of solar activity for a glow low in the northern sky, and activity reached that on 331 of the last 364 nights. The best months are September to March, when the nights are darkest.

Illustration: a quiet, cloudy night with no aurora — Illustration of tonight's likely sky

Clouds will likely hide the aurora tonight

The activity is there, but cloud is forecast over every dark hour, 100% on average, with no clear spell. A clearer spot nearby may do better.

As of 12:58 Saskatoon time. Updated every 15 minutes.

Tonight in Saskatoon

Friday 13 November

Cloud and darkness, 18:00 to 06:00Local time · Open-Meteo

100%

18:0021:0000:0003:0006:00

Cloud coverDark enough, 18:37 to 07:06

ActivityEnough for a low northern glowKp 1.7

Kp 0needs 19

Saskatoon usually needs about Kp 1. Kp 1.7 is NOAA's forecast peak for tonight's dark hours here. Latest reading Kp 0.7 (15:00–18:00 UTC).

Kp is a 0 to 9 scale of how stirred up Earth's magnetic field is. The higher it goes, the further from the poles aurora reaches. More about Kp

CloudsNo clear spell100%

Cloud over every dark hour, with no clear spell in the forecast. Even a strong display will be hidden. A clearer spot nearby may do better. Right now it's 100%.

The number is the average over tonight's dark hours; the verdict is judged hour by hour, so one clear evening does not hide an overcast midnight. Even a strong aurora is invisible through solid cloud.

DarknessDark enough18:37–07:06

Dark until 07:06. Aurora is usually best around midnight.

Dark enough means the sun is well below the horizon, which is later than sunset. At high latitudes in summer it never gets there.

How this is worked out

The ring where aurora appears sits north of Saskatoon tonight, but a bright display should rise above the northern horizon. Get away from town lights and find a spot with nothing blocking the view north.

Aurora appears in a ring around Earth's magnetic pole. The higher the Kp, the wider the ring grows. Inside it, aurora can show anywhere in the sky; outside it, you would see it low toward the north, if at all.

A guide, not a guarantee: aurora can beat the forecast or fall short of it, so don't plan a trip on this alone.

Aurora forecast for the next nights

Kp is forecast to reach 1 on 2 of the next 2 nights, enough for aurora here.

NightPeak KpOutlook

TonightFri 13 Nov1.7Cloudy
Tomorrow nightSat 14 Nov1.3Within reach

Hour by hour

Each bar is three hours of NOAA's Kp forecast, in Saskatoon time. NOAA last updated it Fri 13 Nov, 12:57.

Needed here · Kp 1

FriSatSun

Night, reaches the level Night, below it Daylight here

Show as a table

Day	From	Kp	Sky here
Fri 13	12:00	1.7	Daylight
Fri 13	15:00	1.7	Daylight
Fri 13	18:00	1.7	Daylight
Fri 13	21:00	1.7	Night
Sat 14	00:00	1.3	Night
Sat 14	03:00	1.3	Night
Sat 14	06:00	1.3	Daylight
Sat 14	09:00	1.3	Daylight
Sat 14	12:00	1.7	Daylight
Sat 14	15:00	1.3	Daylight
Sat 14	18:00	1.7	Daylight
Sat 14	21:00	1.3	Night
Sun 15	00:00	1.3	Night
Sun 15	03:00	1.3	Night
Sun 15	06:00	1.3	Daylight
Sun 15	09:00	1.3	Daylight
Sun 15	12:00	1.7	Daylight
Sun 15	15:00	1.7	Daylight
Sun 15	18:00	3.3	Daylight

Email me the next time the aurora is likely in Saskatoon

One email when activity is forecast to climb high enough for the aurora in Saskatoon. Nothing else.

Where to watch near Saskatoon

Saskatoon sees the northern lights fairly often from October to March, and the flat prairie gives a wide-open view of the northern sky. The city's own glow is the main problem, so the best views are just north of town, with the city lights behind you.

Penner Road near WanuskewinJust north of the city, dark sky with lights behind you15 km
Sutherland Beach off-leash areaLarge riverside park that blocks nearby neighbourhood light5 km
Beaver Creek Conservation AreaDark riverside site, but the city glow sits to the north15 km

Head north out of the city and pull onto a quiet side road, and watch between 11 pm and 3 am for the best odds.

More about the aurora in Saskatoon

Best time of year

September to March, when the nights are darkest.

The best months in Saskatoon are September to March, with about 13 hours of real darkness a night.

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What is Kp?

The 0 to 9 number behind every aurora forecast.

What is Kp? A number from 0 to 9 for how stormy space weather is. Most nights are 1 to 3. At 5 or more it's a storm, and the northern lights spread much further south. More about Kp

By the numbers

Needs about Kp 1. High in the sky from Kp 3.

Kp needed here0–2: Typically about Kp 1 for a glow low on the northern horizon. It depends on distance from the magnetic pole, which is why two cities on the same latitude can need different numbers.
High in the sky fromKp 3: Below this, aurora stays low toward the north. Above it, the ring expands over you and it can appear anywhere overhead.
Magnetic latitude59.6°: Saskatoon is at 52.1° on the map, but the aurora ring is centred on the magnetic pole, so for aurora it behaves like a 59.6° location.

How often it happens

Activity was high enough on 331 of the last 364 nights.

331of the last 364 nights

Kp reached 1 or more during the night hours in Saskatoon on 331 of the last 364 nights, about the level at which aurora comes into range here. The strongest night was January 19, 2026, when Kp reached 7.7. This counts activity, not sightings: cloud, moonlight and light summer nights decide how many of those nights anything could be seen.

NNovDDecJJanFFebMMarAAprMMayJJunJJulAAugSSepOOctNNov

Nights per month on which Kp reached the level during the night hours.

Show as a table

Month	Nights
Nov	17 of 18
Dec	29 of 31
Jan	29 of 31
Feb	28 of 28
Mar	30 of 31
Apr	27 of 30
May	27 of 31
Jun	29 of 30
Jul	26 of 31
Aug	26 of 31
Sep	25 of 30
Oct	27 of 31
Nov	11 of 11

Tips for seeing it

Where to look, when, and what the forecast can't tell you.

Look north. Aurora starts to clear the northern horizon at around Kp 1 and can reach high overhead from about Kp 3.
Get away from street lights, with a clear view north.
Go out around 22:00 to 02:00, when aurora is usually most active.
Give your eyes twenty minutes to adjust. A phone camera picks up colour long before your eyes do.
Kp covers the whole planet in three-hour blocks, so it can't say where aurora is this minute. NOAA's live aurora map shows the next half hour.

Common questions

Can you see it from here, what Kp you need, and when to look.

Can you see the aurora borealis from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan?: Yes, during strong enough geomagnetic activity. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan sits at about 59.6° geomagnetic latitude, so aurora becomes visible low on the northern horizon at around Kp 1, and the oval expands over it at around Kp 3, when displays can reach high into the sky rather than staying low. Kp is a planetary three-hour index: it tells you how far the auroral oval reaches, not exactly where the aurora will be in your sky at a given moment.
What Kp index is needed to see the aurora in Saskatoon?: About Kp 1 for a display low on the horizon, and about Kp 3 before the oval expands over you and displays reach high into the sky. Kp is a planetary index, so the number you need depends on your geomagnetic latitude rather than your position on a map — and it describes how far the oval reaches, not where the arc will be at a given moment.
When is the best time to look for the aurora in Saskatoon?: Aurora is most active around magnetic midnight, roughly 22:00–02:00 local time. You also need a properly dark sky, which is not the same as "after sunset". Tonight in Saskatoon the sky is dark enough from about 18:37 until 07:06. Clear skies matter as much as the Kp number.
How often does aurora come within reach of Saskatoon?: Kp reached 1 or more during the night hours in Saskatoon on 331 of the last 364 nights, which is about the level at which aurora comes into range here. That counts geomagnetic activity only: cloud, moonlight and summer daylight decide how many of those nights anything could be seen.

Nearby places

Northern lights in Canada All places Live aurora map 3-day forecast

Kp index and forecast from NOAA SWPC. Cloud cover and sun times from Open-Meteo. Kp history from GFZ Potsdam (CC BY 4.0). Magnetic latitude is AACGM-v2, epoch 2026.

Day

From

Sky here

Fri 13