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Northern lights in Utah

Yes, but only during strong-to-extreme geomagnetic storms, and best from northern Utah. In May 2024 people across the state reported the aurora, with photos from Bear Lake, Rockport State Park and Antelope Island.

Tonight's northern lights forecast

Loading NOAA's Kp forecast…

How strong a storm each city in Utah 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 Utah the level ranges from Kp 7.3 (G3) in Logan to Kp 8.3 (G4) in St. George.

CityGeomagnetic latitudeAurora usually needsTonight
Logan48.5°Kp 7.3 (G3)
Ogden48°Kp 7.4 (G4)
Salt Lake City47.6°Kp 7.5 (G4)
Provo47.1°Kp 7.6 (G4)
Eagle Mountain47.1°Kp 7.6 (G4)
St. George43.7°Kp 8.3 (G4)

How these levels are worked out: our methods.

How often you can see the aurora in Utah

Utah lies between NOAA’s examples for strong storms (Oregon) and severe storms (northern California). The far north, around Cache Valley and Bear Lake, may see a low glow during strong storms, which come on roughly 130 days per 11-year solar cycle. Most of the state, including Salt Lake City, usually needs a severe storm, and the far south a severe or extreme one. The table above shows each city’s level against tonight’s NOAA forecast.

Where to watch

Utah has dozens of certified dark-sky places. For the aurora, pick northern ones with a clear view north:

  • Antelope Island State Park: in the Great Salt Lake, certified as an International Dark Sky Park in 2017. KJZZ’s May 2024 gallery included a photo taken there.
  • Rockport and East Canyon state parks: certified dark-sky parks in the mountains east of Salt Lake City. KJZZ published a May 2024 aurora photo from Rockport.
  • Bear Lake: on the Idaho line in the far north. A May 2024 photo there led KJZZ’s gallery.
  • North Fork Park and Steinaker State Park: certified dark-sky parks in the Ogden Valley and near Vernal.

Notable sightings

During the May 10–11, 2024 storm, the first extreme (G5) storm since 2003, KJZZ reported that people across Utah sighted the aurora. Its gallery included photos from Bear Lake, Rockport State Park, Antelope Island, Cache Valley, Brigham City, Tooele, Draper and Manti.

Tips for Utah

  • Get away from the Wasatch Front. The Ogden–Salt Lake–Provo corridor lights up much of northern Utah’s sky.
  • Find an open north. Mountains block the low sky in many canyons. Lakes and wide valleys work best.
  • Favor the equinox months. NOAA says bigger storms tend to come near the spring and fall equinoxes. In Interior Alaska, the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute puts the odds of aurora at about twice as high at the equinoxes as at the solstices.

Local resources

Browse certified dark-sky places and read how to see the northern lights. Neighbors: Idaho and Colorado.

Dark-sky places near Salt Lake City

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

Can you see the northern lights from Salt Lake City?

During the biggest storms, yes. The Wasatch Front's lights hide faint displays, so head to a dark state park, such as Antelope Island in the Great Salt Lake, with an open view north.

Is southern Utah good for the aurora?

Southern Utah has many certified dark-sky parks, but it is farther from the aurora. It usually needs a severe or extreme storm, and even then the aurora stays low in the north.

What is the best time of year in Utah?

NOAA says bigger storms tend to come near the March and September equinoxes. Fall and winter also bring the longest nights.

Other states

Sources