Northern lights in Texas
Rarely. NOAA's storm scale says only extreme geomagnetic storms reach southern Texas, and most of the state needs one; the northern Panhandle may get chances during severe storms. In October 2024 the National Weather Service in Lubbock shared photos of a pink and green aurora.
Tonight's northern lights forecast
Loading NOAA's Kp forecast…
How strong a storm each city in Texas 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 Texas the level ranges from Kp 8.4 (G4) in Amarillo to stronger than Kp 9 (rare, extreme storms only) in Brownsville.
| City | Geomagnetic latitude | Aurora usually needs | Tonight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amarillo | 43° | Kp 8.4 (G4) | |
| Wichita Falls | 42° | Kp 8.6 (G4) | |
| Sherman | 41.9° | Kp 8.6 (G4) | |
| Texarkana | 41.9° | Kp 8.6 (G4) | |
| Paris | 42° | Kp 8.6 (G4) | |
| Lubbock | 41.4° | Kp 8.7 (G5) | |
| Frisco | 41.4° | Kp 8.7 (G5) | |
| Denton | 41.4° | Kp 8.7 (G5) | |
| Wylie | 41.3° | Kp 8.7 (G5) | |
| Dallas | 41° | Kp 8.8 (G5) | |
| Fort Worth | 41° | Kp 8.8 (G5) | |
| Mansfield | 40.8° | Kp 8.8 (G5) | |
| Longview | 40.9° | Kp 8.8 (G5) | |
| Grapevine | 41.2° | Kp 8.8 (G5) | |
| Abilene | 40.5° | Kp 8.9 (G5) | |
| Tyler | 40.7° | Kp 8.9 (G5) | |
| Waxahachie | 40.7° | Kp 8.9 (G5) | |
| Stephenville | 40.4° | Kp 8.9 (G5) | |
| Waco | 39.8° | Kp 9 (G5) | |
| Midland | 39.9° | Kp 9 (G5) | |
| El Paso | 39.3° | stronger than Kp 9 (rare, extreme storms only) | |
| Killeen | 39.3° | stronger than Kp 9 (rare, extreme storms only) | |
| San Angelo | 39.4° | stronger than Kp 9 (rare, extreme storms only) | |
| Temple | 39.3° | stronger than Kp 9 (rare, extreme storms only) | |
| Lufkin | 39.7° | stronger than Kp 9 (rare, extreme storms only) | |
| College Station | 38.9° | stronger than Kp 9 (rare, extreme storms only) | |
| Georgetown | 38.9° | stronger than Kp 9 (rare, extreme storms only) | |
| Austin | 38.5° | stronger than Kp 9 (rare, extreme storms only) | |
| Conroe | 38.7° | stronger than Kp 9 (rare, extreme storms only) | |
| Beaumont | 38.5° | stronger than Kp 9 (rare, extreme storms only) | |
| Port Arthur | 38.4° | stronger than Kp 9 (rare, extreme storms only) | |
| Houston | 38.1° | stronger than Kp 9 (rare, extreme storms only) | |
| New Braunfels | 37.9° | stronger than Kp 9 (rare, extreme storms only) | |
| League City | 37.9° | stronger than Kp 9 (rare, extreme storms only) | |
| Sugar Land | 37.9° | stronger than Kp 9 (rare, extreme storms only) | |
| Baytown | 38.2° | stronger than Kp 9 (rare, extreme storms only) | |
| Kyle | 38.2° | stronger than Kp 9 (rare, extreme storms only) | |
| Kerrville | 38.1° | stronger than Kp 9 (rare, extreme storms only) | |
| San Antonio | 37.6° | stronger than Kp 9 (rare, extreme storms only) | |
| Galveston | 37.6° | stronger than Kp 9 (rare, extreme storms only) | |
| Del Rio | 37.3° | stronger than Kp 9 (rare, extreme storms only) | |
| Victoria | 37.1° | stronger than Kp 9 (rare, extreme storms only) | |
| Eagle Pass | 36.7° | stronger than Kp 9 (rare, extreme storms only) | |
| Corpus Christi | 36° | stronger than Kp 9 (rare, extreme storms only) | |
| Laredo | 35.6° | stronger than Kp 9 (rare, extreme storms only) | |
| McAllen | 34.4° | stronger than Kp 9 (rare, extreme storms only) | |
| Harlingen | 34.4° | stronger than Kp 9 (rare, extreme storms only) | |
| Brownsville | 34.2° | stronger than Kp 9 (rare, extreme storms only) |
How these levels are worked out: our methods.
Can you see the northern lights in Texas?
Only during the biggest storms. NOAA’s scale uses southern Texas as an example of where extreme storms reach, at about 40 degrees geomagnetic latitude. Those come only a few times per 11-year solar cycle. Most of Texas needs one of these. Only the northern edge of the Panhandle may see a low glow during severe storms, which come on about 60 days per cycle. The table above compares tonight’s forecast with each city’s level.
What past storms showed
- October 10–11, 2024: NASA’s Earth Observatory noted that the National Weather Service in Lubbock shared photos of the aurora in shades of pink and green. ABC 7 Amarillo published viewer photos from the Panhandle and said a camera was needed to see the lights there.
- May 10–11, 2024: the strongest storm to reach Earth in two decades brought auroras to the southern US, with reports down to about 26 degrees magnetic latitude, according to NASA.
- November 5–6, 2001: the National Weather Service in Sioux Falls notes that an unusually large storm brought aurora as far south as Texas.
Where to look
- Copper Breaks and Caprock Canyons state parks: in North Texas and the Panhandle, certified as International Dark Sky Parks in 2014 and 2025. They are the best-placed certified dark sites in the state.
- Hill Country dark-sky parks: Enchanted Rock and South Llano River are certified, but they need an extreme storm.
Tips
- Use your camera. A phone’s night mode can record color in a glow that looks pale to the eye.
- Look low in the north. The aurora seldom rises high from Texas.
- Escape the metro glow. Dallas–Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio and Austin light up huge areas.
Read how to see the northern lights and browse certified dark-sky places. Neighbors: Oklahoma and New Mexico.
Dark-sky places near Houston
Certified dark-sky places are among the best spots to watch for aurora: little light pollution and, often, open views to the north.
- Bee Cave (International Dark Sky Community, 2023): 158 miles W of Houston.
- Jonestown, Texas (International Dark Sky Community, 2023): 159 miles W of Houston.
- Shield Ranch Barton Creek (Urban Night Sky Place, 2024): 161 miles W of Houston.
- Wimberley Valley, Texas (International Dark Sky Community, 2018): 162 miles W of Houston.
- Liberty Hill, Texas (International Dark Sky Community, 2025): 163 miles NW of Houston.
Questions and answers
Can you see the northern lights in Dallas, Houston or Austin?
Only during extreme storms, and then mostly in photos from dark areas outside the cities. The Panhandle and North Texas have the best odds in the state.
Is Big Bend good for the aurora?
Big Bend National Park is a certified International Dark Sky Park, but it is far south, so it needs an extreme storm. Dark-sky parks in North Texas and the Panhandle are better placed.
Do I need a camera?
Usually. At Texas latitudes the aurora is often faint and low, and a NASA scientist notes that even standard phone cameras are now much more sensitive to its colors than they used to be. In October 2024 ABC 7 Amarillo said the lights were visible with a camera in the Panhandle.
Other states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Washington, DC
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Sources
- A Colorful Aurora Paints the Night Sky, NASA Earth Observatory
- PHOTOS: Northern Lights spotted in the Texas Panhandle, ABC 7 Amarillo
- Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights), National Weather Service Sioux Falls
- How NASA Tracked the Most Intense Solar Storm in Decades, NASA
- NOAA Space Weather Scales, NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center
- International Dark Sky Places, DarkSky International