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Northern lights in Hawaii

Almost never. Hawaii lies far from the auroral zone, and a NOAA space weather forecaster says sightings there are reported only once every 20 to 30 years. In May 2024 the strongest storm in two decades brought a brief glimpse to the Big Island.

Tonight's northern lights forecast

Loading NOAA's Kp forecast…

How strong a storm each city in Hawaii 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 Hawaii the level ranges from stronger than Kp 9 (rare, extreme storms only) in Honolulu to stronger than Kp 9 (rare, extreme storms only) in Kailua-Kona.

CityGeomagnetic latitudeAurora usually needsTonight
Honolulu21.8°stronger than Kp 9 (rare, extreme storms only)
Kahului21.6°stronger than Kp 9 (rare, extreme storms only)
Hilo20.6°stronger than Kp 9 (rare, extreme storms only)
Kailua-Kona20.4°stronger than Kp 9 (rare, extreme storms only)

How these levels are worked out: our methods.

Can you see the northern lights in Hawaii?

Almost never. Hawaii sits at a low geomagnetic latitude, well south of where even extreme storms usually push the aurora in NOAA’s scale. Mike Bettwy of NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center told Maui Now that sightings from Hawaii are reported only once every 20 to 30 years. The table above compares tonight’s forecast with the level each island city needs.

What May 2024 showed

During the May 10–11, 2024 storm, the strongest in more than two decades, a resident of Nā’ālehu in the Kaʻū district of the Big Island saw a purple and greenish tinge in the sky for about five minutes before dawn on May 11. She photographed it with a 3-second iPhone exposure, Maui Now reported. NASA says that storm produced aurora reports down to about 26 degrees magnetic latitude, which NASA says may rival some of the lowest-latitude aurora sightings on record.

Where to look

There are no aurora “spots” in Hawaii, but if an extreme storm is under way:

  • Go to a dark shore or upland area with a clear view north, away from Honolulu, Hilo and resort lights.
  • The Big Island’s Kaʻū district, a rural area, is where the 2024 sighting happened.

Tips

  • Use your camera. NOAA notes that a dim aurora looks pale to the eye and shows color on a camera.
  • Look low in the north. From Hawaii any aurora would sit right on the horizon.
  • Check the timing. The 2024 Big Island photos were taken between 4:26 and 4:31 a.m., before dawn twilight.

Read how to see the northern lights and check the moon phase. For Alaska’s much better odds, see the Alaska page.

Questions and answers

Why is the aurora so rare in Hawaii?

The aurora follows Earth's magnetic field, and Hawaii lies at a low magnetic latitude, far from the ring around the magnetic pole where aurora usually forms. Only the most extreme storms push it far enough south.

What should I do if a big storm is forecast?

Find a dark spot with a clear view north, away from town lights, and take long-exposure photos with a phone or camera. The 2024 Big Island sighting was photographed with a 3-second phone exposure.

Can a phone see the aurora when my eyes can't?

Often, yes. NOAA's Mike Bettwy told Maui Now that people might see it with a phone even if they can't see it with their eyes. He also said displays tend to come and go, sometimes lasting 20 to 30 minutes.

Other states

Sources