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Northern lights in Connecticut

Yes, but only during strong-to-extreme geomagnetic storms, and usually as a low glow that cameras show better than eyes. In October 2024, WFSB viewers in New Milford, Stafford Springs and at the Colebrook Dam caught it and sent in photos.

Tonight's northern lights forecast

Loading NOAA's Kp forecast…

How strong a storm each city in Connecticut 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 Connecticut the level ranges from Kp 6.8 (G3) in Hartford to Kp 7 (G3) in Stamford.

CityGeomagnetic latitudeAurora usually needsTonight
Hartford50.9°Kp 6.8 (G3)
Bridgeport50.3°Kp 6.9 (G3)
Waterbury50.7°Kp 6.9 (G3)
Danbury50.5°Kp 6.9 (G3)
Stamford50.2°Kp 7 (G3)

How these levels are worked out: our methods.

How often you can see the aurora in Connecticut

Connecticut lies a little south of New York’s band on NOAA’s scale and near Illinois’s, NOAA’s example for strong storms. Strong storms come on roughly 130 days per 11-year solar cycle, but at Connecticut’s latitude even those often show only a faint glow. Severe and extreme storms give the best displays. The table above shows each city’s level against tonight’s forecast.

Where to watch

Use these rules to pick a spot:

  • Go north and inland. WFSB’s October 2024 viewer photos came from New Milford, the Colebrook Dam in the northwest hills and Stafford Springs near the Massachusetts line.
  • Find an open view north. Reservoirs, hilltop fields and farmland give the low horizon you need.
  • Stay away from the I-95 corridor. Shoreline and Hartford-area lights wash out faint aurora.

Notable sightings

On the night of October 7–8, 2024, WFSB reported that sky gazers in Connecticut caught the northern lights. A WFSB meteorologist tied it to a strong geomagnetic storm, and NOAA reports that a severe storm brought aurora across North America on October 10–11.

What you’ll see this far south

From southern New England you usually see only the top of the aurora, which sits hundreds of miles to the north. NOAA explains that the red light comes from oxygen above about 300 km (180 miles), the highest part of the aurora, while the common green glows lower down. That high red layer is the part most easily seen from far away, so a display here often looks like a pink or red haze low in the north. Green shows up more when the aurora comes closer.

Tips for Connecticut

  • Use your phone. A long exposure often reveals pink or green where your eyes see only a gray haze.
  • Watch the clouds. Even a short clear break can be enough, so keep checking through the night.
  • Favor the equinox months. The University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute finds aurora odds about twice as high near the March and September equinoxes as near the solstices.
  • Check the moon. A bright moon hides faint aurora; see the moon phase.

Local resources

Read how to see the northern lights for planning steps. Neighbors: Massachusetts and New York.

Dark-sky places near Bridgeport

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

Where is the darkest sky in Connecticut?

The rural northwest and northeast corners, far from the shoreline cities and Hartford, have the least light. WFSB's October 2024 viewer photos came from places such as Colebrook and Stafford Springs. Pick an open field or reservoir with a view north.

Can you see the northern lights from the Connecticut shore?

During big storms, yes, but the shore cities from Greenwich to New London add a lot of light. Inland and northern spots are better.

What time should I look in Connecticut?

NOAA says activity usually peaks within an hour or two of midnight. During strong storms the aurora can show soon after dark, and in October 2024 a local meteorologist told WFSB the favored window was before midnight.

Other states

Sources