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Northern lights in Arkansas

Rarely. Arkansas needs a severe or extreme geomagnetic storm, and the best shows come only a few times per solar cycle. During the May 2024 storm, KATV's photo gallery included viewer shots of the aurora from Rea Valley in the Arkansas Ozarks.

Tonight's northern lights forecast

Loading NOAA's Kp forecast…

How strong a storm each city in Arkansas needs

The farther a place is from the magnetic pole, the stronger the geomagnetic storm needed to push the aurora into view. These levels come from each city's geomagnetic latitude and NOAA's storm scale, which says how far south aurora is usually seen at each level. They are for aurora low on the northern horizon from a dark spot; overhead displays need more. Across Arkansas the level ranges from Kp 8 (G4) in Bentonville to Kp 8.3 (G4) in Conway.

CityGeomagnetic latitudeAurora usually needsTonight
Bentonville44.8°Kp 8 (G4)
Fayetteville44.5°Kp 8.1 (G4)
Jonesboro44.5°Kp 8.1 (G4)
Fort Smith43.8°Kp 8.2 (G4)
Little Rock43.3°Kp 8.3 (G4)
Conway43.6°Kp 8.3 (G4)

How these levels are worked out: our methods.

Can you see the northern lights in Arkansas?

Only during the biggest storms. NOAA’s scale says severe storms have reached Alabama, which sits at a similar geomagnetic latitude to Arkansas, and extreme storms have reached Florida. Severe storms come on about 60 days per 11-year solar cycle, but at Arkansas’s latitude they usually give only a faint glow. Extreme storms, which come only a few times per cycle, give the brightest displays. The table above compares tonight’s forecast with each city’s level.

What May 2024 showed

The May 10–11, 2024 storm was the strongest in more than two decades. NASA says auroras reached the southern US, with reports as far south as about 26 degrees magnetic latitude. KATV’s gallery of viewer photos from that night includes several shots from Rea Valley in the Ozarks.

Where to look

  • Buffalo National River: a certified International Dark Sky Park in the Ozarks.
  • Open ground facing north: Ozark hills and forest block the low sky, so pick a field, lakeshore or overlook.
  • Away from city glow: Little Rock, Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers and Fort Smith light up their surroundings.

Tips

  • Use your camera. NOAA notes that a dim aurora looks pale to the eye and shows its colors on cameras. Point your phone north in night mode.
  • Look low in the north. At this latitude the aurora seldom climbs high.
  • Be ready early. During extreme storms the aurora can show soon after dark.

Read how to see the northern lights, and check certified dark-sky places. Neighbors: Missouri and Oklahoma.

Dark-sky places near Little Rock

Certified dark-sky places are among the best spots to watch for aurora: little light pollution and, often, open views to the north.

Questions and answers

Will I see colors with my eyes in Arkansas?

Usually not. At Arkansas's latitude the aurora is faint and low, so the eye sees a pale glow while a phone's night mode records the color.

Where is the darkest place in Arkansas?

Buffalo National River in the Ozarks is Arkansas's certified International Dark Sky Park. Find a gravel bar or open field there with a clear view north.

How will I know a big storm is coming?

NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center issues geomagnetic storm watches when a solar eruption is headed for Earth, often a day or so ahead. Check the live forecast on this page when one is out.

Other states

Sources