Can you see the northern lights in Texas tonight?
Live aurora odds for Texas — tonight's Kp versus the >9 the state needs, plus where and when to look.
Tonight Texas needs >9; the current Kp is 3, so aurora odds over Texas are effectively nil — Cosmik tracks it live, free.
🔵 Texas is too far south for the aurora
At 39.3° geomagnetic latitude, only a once-in-a-generation superstorm would push the northern lights this far south.
Kp now
3
Tonight max
5
Texas needs
>9
Geomag. latitude
39.3°
Live NOAA SWPC data, refreshed every 30 min. Get an alert for Texas →
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Aurora across all of Texas
Texas only sees the northern lights during major geomagnetic storms, which can strike any month but are most likely near the equinoxes (September–March). On those rare nights, the aurora appears as a faint glow low on the northern horizon rather than overhead.
Track the aurora in Texas cities
Each city page shows its own live Kp verdict — the odds shift with your exact latitude:
- Northern lights in Austin · needs >9
- Northern lights in Fort Worth · needs >9
- Northern lights in Dallas · needs >9
- Northern lights in San Antonio · needs >9
- Northern lights in Houston · needs >9
- Northern lights in Oklahoma City · needs >9
Northern lights in Texas — FAQ
Can you see the northern lights in Texas?
Realistically, no — Texas sits at about 39.3° geomagnetic latitude, far outside the auroral zone. It would take an exceptional, historic solar superstorm for the aurora to be visible this far south.
What Kp does Texas need for the northern lights?
Texas needs a Kp of about more than 9 (effectively unreachable) for the aurora to become visible from a dark site with a clear northern horizon. That figure comes from the state's geomagnetic latitude (39.3°): the higher your geomagnetic latitude, the lower the Kp you need.
When is the best time to see the aurora in Texas?
Look between about 10 pm and 2 am local time, on a clear, moonless night, from a spot with no light pollution and an open view to the north. The season peaks September–March, and geomagnetic storms are most frequent near the equinoxes. Cosmik tracks the live Kp so you can catch the exact night it spikes.
