Northern lights in Missouri: can you see them, and tonight's chances

Northern lights in Missouri

Yes, but only during severe and extreme geomagnetic storms, which are uncommon. On May 10, 2024, KSHB shared viewer photos from the Kansas City area and Lake of the Ozarks. The National Weather Service office whose area includes southeast Missouri noted rare sightings that night and again on October 10.

How strong a storm each city in Missouri 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 Missouri the level ranges from Kp 7.4 (G4) in St. Joseph to Kp 7.9 (G4) in Joplin.

City	Geomagnetic latitude	Aurora usually needs
St. Joseph	48.1°	Kp 7.4 (G4)
Kansas City	47.5°	Kp 7.5 (G4)
St. Louis	47.3°	Kp 7.5 (G4)
Columbia	47.5°	Kp 7.5 (G4)
O'Fallon	47.4°	Kp 7.5 (G4)
Jefferson City	47.1°	Kp 7.6 (G4)
Sedalia	47.2°	Kp 7.6 (G4)
Rolla	46.5°	Kp 7.7 (G4)
Cape Girardeau	46°	Kp 7.8 (G4)
Springfield	45.7°	Kp 7.9 (G4)
Joplin	45.5°	Kp 7.9 (G4)

How these levels are worked out: our methods.

How often you can see the aurora in Missouri

Missouri lies between NOAA’s examples for strong storms (Illinois) and severe storms (Alabama). Northern Missouri may see a low glow during strong storms. Most of the state needs a severe or extreme one, and severe storms come on only about 60 days per 11-year solar cycle. The table above shows each city’s level against tonight’s NOAA forecast.

Where to watch

Thousand Hills State Park: near Kirksville in northern Missouri, certified by DarkSky International and in the part of the state with the best odds.
Rural northern Missouri: farmland north of the Missouri River offers open horizons and dark skies away from towns.
Lakes with open north shores: in the Ozarks, hills and trees block much of the low sky, so a big reservoir with a view north across the water helps.

Notable sightings

May 10, 2024: KSHB shared viewer photos of the aurora from the Kansas City area, including Lee’s Summit and the National Weather Service office in Pleasant Hill, and from Lake of the Ozarks. The National Weather Service in Paducah, whose forecast area includes southeast Missouri, listed it as a rare sighting.
October 10, 2024: the Paducah office listed a second rare sighting that year, noting the northern lights are usually hard to see that far south.

Tips for Missouri

Use your camera. The aurora often sits low and faint at Missouri’s latitude. A phone’s long exposure shows color your eyes may miss.
Escape the city glow. St. Louis and Kansas City brighten large areas. Springfield and Columbia have smaller domes.
Find an open north. Ozark ridges and forest hide the horizon. Fields and lakeshores work better.
Look near midnight. NOAA says activity usually peaks within an hour or two of midnight, though during the biggest storms it can start in the evening.

Local resources

Read how to see the northern lights. Neighbors: Iowa and Kansas.

Dark-sky places near Kansas City

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

Thousand Hills State Park (Urban Night Sky Place, 2024): 132 miles NE of Kansas City.

Stacy Park (Urban Night Sky Place, 2021): 226 miles E of Kansas City.

Buffalo National River (International Dark Sky Park, 2019): 239 miles SE of Kansas City.

Questions and answers

Can you see the northern lights in St. Louis or Kansas City?

During the biggest storms, yes. KSHB published viewer photos of the aurora over Kansas City on May 10, 2024. City light hides fainter displays, so a drive into the country helps.

Does Missouri have any dark-sky places?

Yes. Thousand Hills State Park near Kirksville and Stacy Park in Olivette are certified by DarkSky International as Urban Night Sky Places. See our dark-sky page for more certified places.

Why does the aurora look pink in Missouri photos?

At mid-latitudes you mostly see the top of the aurora, where oxygen glows red above about 300 km (180 miles), as NOAA explains. That is why photos from Missouri often show red or pink tones low in the north.