Minnesota · CT
Can You See the Northern Lights in Minnesota Tonight?
MAYBE in Minnesota (Duluth area). Best window 12:45 AM–2:45 AM CDT. Main issue: Any display would likely stay low on the northern horizon.
MAYBE
Not a definite show. Worth a look if you can get a dark north sky.
Tonight’s hours (CT)
| Time | Reading | Sky |
|---|---|---|
| 12:45 AM–1:15 AM CT | MAYBE | Clear |
| 1:15 AM–1:45 AM CT | MAYBE | Clear |
| 1:45 AM–2:15 AM CT | MAYBE | Clear |
| 2:15 AM–2:45 AM CT | MAYBE | Clear |
| 2:45 AM–3:15 AM CT | NO | Clear |
Rest of the night
| 3:15 AM–3:45 AM CT | NO | Clear |
|---|---|---|
| 3:45 AM–4:15 AM CT | NO | Clear |
| 4:15 AM–4:45 AM CT | NO | Clear |
| 4:45 AM–5:15 AM CT | NO | Clear |
| 5:15 AM–5:45 AM CT | not dark yet | — |
| 5:45 AM–6:15 AM CT | not dark yet | — |
Why this verdict
- Aurora reach
- Aurora activity is not expected to reach Minnesota tonight.
- Clouds
- Clear
- Darkness
- —
- Moon
- —
- City glow
- The Twin Cities are a large dome. Duluth is better but still a city. The Iron Range, Ely, and the Boundary Waters are the dark, high-latitude part of the state — among the best Lower 48 odds in this set.
- Data live
- Live reading, not a full local guide.
What to do
- Leave Minneapolis. North toward Duluth and beyond is the correct direction. The Boundary Waters / Ely latitude is the in-state destination on a moderate night.
- Face north.
- Give your eyes 30–60 minutes in the dark.
- A phone camera may pick up a faint display before your eyes do.
Other points in Minnesota
- ElyMAYBE
- MinneapolisNO
In this state
Twin Cities: event-to-sub-oval. Duluth and the Arrowhead: sub-oval. A GO near Ely is often only maybe in Minneapolis.
Nearby
Local FAQ
Minneapolis tonight?
Answered here, not on a Twin Cities URL. The city is the wrong place to stand; the headline uses Duluth-latitude Minnesota.
Duluth or farther?
Duluth is already a big step north of Minneapolis. Ely and the Boundary Waters are darker and slightly better magnetically.
How does Minnesota compare to Michigan?
Northern Minnesota and Michigan’s UP are in the same league. Both beat Chicago, Ohio, and Colorado on ordinary active nights.