Wisconsin · CT
Can You See the Northern Lights in Wisconsin Tonight?
NO (Madison area). Not worth a special trip tonight. Aurora activity is not expected to reach Wisconsin tonight.
NO
Not worth a special trip tonight.
Tonight’s hours (CT)
| Time | Reading | Sky |
|---|---|---|
| 12:45 AM–1:15 AM CT | NO | Clear |
| 1:15 AM–1:45 AM CT | NO | Clear |
| 1:45 AM–2:15 AM CT | NO | Clear |
| 2:15 AM–2:45 AM CT | NO | 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 Wisconsin tonight.
- Clouds
- Clear
- Darkness
- —
- Moon
- —
- City glow
- Milwaukee–Chicago glow covers the southeast. Madison is better than Milwaukee but still urban. Northern Wisconsin (Northwoods, Apostle Islands, Lake Superior shore) is the dark part of the state.
- Data live
- Live reading, not a full local guide.
What to do
- Leave Milwaukee. If you can keep driving north of the agricultural belt into the Northwoods, do it. Door County and the Superior shore beat the southern lakeshore suburbs.
- 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 Wisconsin
- BayfieldMAYBE
- MilwaukeeNO
In this state
Southeast Wisconsin is Chicago-adjacent and event-heavy. Northern Wisconsin is closer to Minnesota’s odds. A maybe in Bayfield is often still a no in Milwaukee.
Nearby
Local FAQ
Can you see the northern lights in Milwaukee?
Only in a strong storm, and not from the inner city. Milwaukee is the wrong end of the state.
Where in Wisconsin is actually good?
North: the Northwoods, Bayfield, the Apostle Islands region, and other Superior-facing dark areas. That is a different night than Madison.
Better than Illinois?
Usually yes, especially once you are north of the Chicago–Milwaukee corridor.