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Rule Northern Lights

Girdwood - Northern Lights - Alaska

Girdwood, Alaska, United States

Northern Lights photography conditions - combines aurora activity levels with clear skies and proper darkness for optimal viewing.

No opportunities right now
Here’s what usually blocks matches

No Northern Lights opportunities in the next 14 days

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Rule requirements (key thresholds)
Aurora Quality · ≥ 50.0% Solar Elevation · ≤ -8.0° Aurora Activity · ≥ 50.0% Total Cloud Coverage · ≤ 30.0%

Tip: Scroll down to the 72-hour table to see exactly which condition fails hour by hour.

Most common blockers (next 72 hours)
Aurora Quality 100% failing
Aurora Activity 100% failing
Total Cloud Coverage 76% failing

Currently

Real-time conditions
Aurora Quality
0%
Kp IndexKp 3 (Unsettled)
Sun Elevation-32.1° (Astronomical night)
Cloud Cover100%

Upcoming Opportunities

When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.

Times shown in America/Anchorage

No opportunities in the next 10 days

See the blocker timeline below to understand which conditions are preventing matches.

What this forecast looks for

Plain-language explanation from the rule

This forecast answers the question every aurora photographer asks: "Can I actually see the aurora tonight?" Unlike simple Kp forecasts, we combine NOAA's OVATION aurora model with real-time cloud cover, visibility, and darkness data to predict true viewing conditions.

Alaska's interior sits directly under the auroral oval, making it one of the world's most reliable aurora viewing destinations. Fairbanks, in particular, experiences aurora activity on roughly 240 nights per year—more than almost anywhere else accessible by road.

What makes Alaska special for aurora photography:

  • Auroral oval position - Fairbanks sits at the ideal 65°N latitude, directly under the oval's typical position
  • Extreme darkness - Winter nights can last 18+ hours, maximizing viewing opportunities
  • Dramatic foregrounds - Snow-covered mountains, frozen rivers, and boreal forests create stunning compositions
  • Research heritage - The University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute provides world-class aurora forecasting

Best conditions typically occur September through March, with peak activity during the equinox months. The interior's continental climate means clearer skies than coastal areas, though temperatures can plunge well below -30°C. Dress accordingly and keep camera batteries warm.

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72-hour requirements breakdown

What passed or failed, hour by hour
2matching hours in the next 95 hoursJump to next match
AND logic: all conditions required
Meets requirement
Misses requirement
Time
America/Anchorage
Aurora Quality
≥ 50.0%
Solar Elevation
≤ -8.0°
Aurora Activity
≥ 50.0%
Total Cloud Coverage
≤ 30.0%
Visibility
≥ 8000.0m
Mon, Feb 16
04:0070%-32°50%0%24134m
05:0070%-26°50%0.1%24135m
06:0052%-19°34%0.1%24135m
07:0052%-12°34%0%24135m
08:0034%-4.7°35%0%24134m
09:0012%2.2°26%0%24135m
10:000%7.9°26%0%24135m
11:000%13°26%0%24134m
12:000%16°0%8.8%24135m
13:000%17°0%25%24134m
14:000%16°0%3.9%24134m
15:000%14°0%5%24134m
16:000%9.8°0%90%24134m
17:000%4.4°0%100%24134m
18:000%-2°0%100%24135m
19:000%-9.1°0%100%24134m
20:000%-16°0%100%24134m
21:000%-24°50%100%24134m
22:000%-30°50%100%24134m
23:000%-36°57%100%24134m
Tue, Feb 17
24:000%-39°53%100%24134m
01:000%-41°55%100%24135m
02:000%-40°52%100%24134m
03:000%-37°36%100%24135m
04:000%-32°36%100%11574m
05:000%-26°36%100%20576m
06:000%-19°15%100%8150m
07:000%-12°15%100%24134m
08:0016%-4.4°15%37%24135m
09:000%2.5°0%5%24134m
10:000%8.3°0%1%24134m
11:000%13°0%0%24134m
12:000%16°11%0%24134m
13:000%17°11%5%24134m
14:000%17°11%4.8%24134m
15:000%14°11%9.6%24135m
16:000%10°11%98%24134m
17:000%4.7°11%82%24135m
18:000%-1.7°11%94%24135m
19:000%-8.8°11%99%24134m
20:000%-16°11%100%24135m
21:000%-23°11%100%24135m
22:000%-30°11%99%24134m
23:000%-35°11%100%24134m
Wed, Feb 18
24:000%-39°0%100%24135m
01:000%-41°0%36%24135m
02:000%-40°0%5%24134m
03:000%-37°0%5%24134m
04:000%-32°0%4.9%24134m
05:000%-26°0%3.9%24135m
06:000%-19°0%87%24134m
07:000%-11°0%79%24135m
08:000%-4°0%87%24134m
09:000%2.9°0%95%24134m
10:000%8.6°0%100%24134m
11:000%13°0%100%13735m
12:000%16°15%100%10242m
13:000%18°15%100%8442m
14:000%17°15%100%8473m
15:000%15°11%100%6309m
16:000%10°11%91%15511m
17:000%5.1°11%93%17852m
18:000%-1.3°20%53%19596m
19:000%-8.5°20%62%21539m
20:000%-16°20%62%20476m
21:000%-23°0%67%18137m
22:000%-29°0%74%14476m
23:000%-35°0%51%24135m
Thu, Feb 19
24:000%-39°0%38%24135m
01:000%-40°0%51%23595m
02:000%-39°0%68%19343m
03:000%-36°0%70%9974m
04:000%-31°0%78%4598m
05:000%-25°0%75%3552m
06:000%-18°0%98%5431m
07:000%-11°0%99%22478m
08:000%-3.7°0%97%24134m
09:000%3.2°0%78%24135m
10:000%8.9°0%53%24135m
11:000%14°0%28%24135m
12:000%17°11%3%24135m
13:000%18°11%17%19919m
14:000%17°11%32%15703m
15:000%15°0%46%11486m
16:000%11°0%46%11395m
17:000%5.4°0%46%11304m
18:000%-0.98°0%46%11213m
19:000%-8.2°0%44%10925m
20:000%-16°0%41%10636m
21:000%-23°0%39%10348m
22:000%-29°0%34%11274m
23:000%-35°0%30%12200m
Fri, Feb 20
24:000%-38°0%26%13126m
01:000%-40°0%21%16193m
02:000%-39°0%15%19259m
How to read: colored cells show whether each predicate requirement is met; highlighted rows mean the full rule matched (an opportunity).

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