Madison, WI · magnetic latitude 52.5°
Northern lights in Madison: tonight’s chance
Madison has a lake on its northern doorstep, which gives the isthmus a darker north than most cities its size.
Tonight at Madison, WI
…
Reading the SWPC Kp forecast and the cloud forecast…
| Kp forecast during the dark hours | not yet forecast |
|---|---|
| Kp needed here | 6.5 (G2 moderate) |
| Cloud cover in the dark hours | loading |
| Dark sky (Sun 18° down) | 7:52 PM to 5:35 AM CDT |
| Moon | 13% lit |
| Right now, OVATION (30 to 90 min) | loading or unavailable |
| Magnetic latitude (AACGM) | 52.5° |
Hour by hour, CDT
7 PM
Kp –
– ☁
No
8 PM
Kp –
– ☁
No
9 PM
Kp –
– ☁
No
10 PM
Kp –
– ☁
No
11 PM
Kp –
– ☁
No
12 AM
Kp –
– ☁
No
1 AM
Kp –
– ☁
No
2 AM
Kp –
– ☁
No
3 AM
Kp –
– ☁
No
4 AM
Kp –
– ☁
No
5 AM
Kp –
– ☁
No
6 AM
Kp –
– ☁
No
Rules checked · Built by Radif Partners · How the answer works
- Kp to see it from Madison
- 6.5
- Storm level needed
- G2 (Moderate)
- Kp for aurora overhead
- 6.8
- Most clear dark hours
- September
Madison needs a planetary Kp of about 6.5 before the northern lights climb above its horizon, a G2 (Moderate) storm on the NOAA scale. The city sits at 52.5 degrees magnetic latitude in the AACGM model, practically level with Milwaukee (52.4 degrees), and the edge of the oval comes overhead only near Kp 6.8. Driving north helps: Wausau needs Kp 5.9. Mid-December brings 11.6 hours of full darkness, from 6:06 PM to 5:39 AM; mid-June only 4.0. For clouds, NASA POWER averages range from 48% in July to 71% in December, and the months with the most clear dark hours are September, October and November, the autumn stretch when nights lengthen before winter cloud settles in. The tool below compares tonight's Kp forecast with National Weather Service sky cover for Madison.
Looking north over Lake Mendota
Few cities of Madison's size have a dark northern view within walking distance of downtown. The center of the city sits on a narrow isthmus between two lakes, with Lake Monona to the south and the larger Lake Mendota to the north. From the Mendota shore, the water stretches away northward, and the nearest bright lights are on the far bank. On a storm night that open surface does what a hilltop does elsewhere: it pushes the city glow back and gives a low aurora room to show. The lake is not a dark sky site, and the glow of the isthmus behind you still washes out faint detail, but as a first look before driving out, it works better than most city parks.
For a full view, the countryside north and northwest of Dane County is the next step. The land there rolls gently, with wide fields and few lights, and a ridge or an open road shoulder gives a clean horizon. Southwest of the city the Driftless hills begin, beautiful but full of valleys that hide the low north.
A G2 city with a G1 drive
At Kp 6.5, Madison sits at the start of the G2 (Moderate) range. Up Interstate 39, Wausau and the Northwoods need only Kp 5.9, and the Lake Superior coast is lower still. On a forecast night with Kp hovering between those two figures, the drive north can turn a probable no into a maybe.
What Kp does this town need?
Kp to see aurora from here
6.5
| Magnetic latitude (AACGM) | 52.5° |
| Kp for aurora overhead | 6.8 |
| Storm level | G2 Moderate |
| How often that level comes | about 360 days per 11-year cycle |
View line: the more southern of the SWPC oval rule and the NOAA G scale latitudes at each Kp.
The three-day forecast page shows which nights are worth that drive, and the Wisconsin page gives the threshold of every town on the way.
Autumn, the Madison season
Inland from Lake Michigan, Madison escapes the spring lake cloud that hangs over Milwaukee, and its clearest stretch comes from late summer through autumn. That is when September and October lead the year in clear dark hours. Winter nights are longer, but December averages 71% cloud amount, and a storm then is more often hidden. A clear winter night after a cold front is still a good chance, as long as you dress for the cold. The Milwaukee page shows how much the lakeshore changes the calendar for a city at the same magnetic latitude.
Kp needed around Madison
| Town | Magnetic latitude | Kp to see it | Kp overhead | Storm level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Superior | 55.9° | 5.1 | 5.1 | G1 (Minor) |
| Ashland | 55.8° | 5.1 | 5.1 | G1 (Minor) |
| Wausau | 54.3° | 5.9 | 5.9 | G2 (Moderate) |
| Eau Claire | 54.1° | 6.0 | 6.0 | G2 (Moderate) |
| Green Bay | 53.8° | 6.1 | 6.1 | G2 (Moderate) |
| Madison | 52.5° | 6.5 | 6.8 | G2 (Moderate) |
| Milwaukee | 52.4° | 6.5 | 6.8 | G2 (Moderate) |
Darkness and clouds by month in Madison
| Month | Dark hours | Dark sky, 15th | Mean cloud | Clear dark hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 11.3 h | 6:28 PM to 5:45 AM | 68% | 3.6 h |
| February | 10.2 h | 7:04 PM to 5:18 AM | 64% | 3.7 h |
| March | 8.9 h | 8:38 PM to 5:33 AM | 62% | 3.3 h |
| April | 7.1 h | 9:23 PM to 4:31 AM | 63% | 2.6 h |
| May | 5.3 h | 10:15 PM to 3:32 AM | 64% | 1.9 h |
| June | 4.0 h | 10:57 PM to 2:59 AM | 58% | 1.7 h |
| July | 4.6 h | 10:44 PM to 3:23 AM | 48% | 2.4 h |
| August | 6.4 h | 9:49 PM to 4:15 AM | 51% | 3.2 h |
| September | 8.3 h | 8:44 PM to 5:01 AM | 49% | 4.2 h |
| October | 9.8 h | 7:49 PM to 5:37 AM | 61% | 3.8 h |
| November | 11.0 h | 6:12 PM to 5:12 AM | 66% | 3.8 h |
| December | 11.6 h | 6:06 PM to 5:39 AM | 71% | 3.3 h |