G2 watch for 12 October, northern lights Kp 5.67
Kp Forecast editorial team · · 2 min read
A G2 geomagnetic storm watch is active, issued by NOAA SWPC on 9 October at 16:36 UTC. The largest Kp in the 3-day forecast is 5.67 on Monday, 12 October 2026, in the 03-06 UTC slot. Saturday and Sunday both reach Kp 4.67, a G1 level, peaking at 21-00 UTC and 18-21 UTC.
| Day | Largest Kp | Peak slot (UTC) | NOAA scale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, 10 October 2026 | 4.67 | 21-00 | G1 |
| Sunday, 11 October 2026 | 4.67 | 18-21 | G1 |
| Monday, 12 October 2026 | 5.67 | 03-06 | G2 |
Data: NOAA SWPC, read 10 October at 07:00 UTC.
What is the current northern lights storm watch?
NOAA SWPC has one active alert on the board, a G2 geomagnetic storm watch issued on 9 October at 16:36 UTC, according to the alerts, watches and warnings page. The watch text reads "Geomagnetic Storm Category G2 Predicted". No warning or alert is listed at the time of reading, 10 October at 07:00 UTC.
How high does the Kp go in the next three days?
The 3-day forecast gives a largest Kp of 4.67 for Saturday, 10 October 2026, in the 21-00 UTC slot, and 4.67 for Sunday, 11 October 2026, in the 18-21 UTC slot. Both days sit at G1 on the NOAA scale. Monday, 12 October 2026, is the strongest of the three, with a largest Kp of 5.67 in the 03-06 UTC slot, a G2 level. The largest Kp across the whole 3-day window is 5.67.
Which northern lights destinations have enough forecast Kp?
Every destination below has a forecast Kp at or above the Kp it needs, based on the NOAA SWPC numbers. Aurora also needs a dark and clear sky.
- Ilulissat, Greenland, needs Kp 1
- Longyearbyen, Svalbard, needs Kp 1
- Nuuk, Greenland, needs Kp 1
- Akureyri, Iceland, needs Kp 1
- Reykjavik, Iceland, needs Kp 1
- Yellowknife, Canada, needs Kp 1
- Tromsø, Norway, needs Kp 1
- Alta, Norway, needs Kp 1
- Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, needs Kp 1
- Svolvær, Lofoten, Norway, needs Kp 1
- Abisko, Sweden, needs Kp 1
- Kiruna, Sweden, needs Kp 1
- Fairbanks, Alaska, needs Kp 1
- Saariselkä, Finland, needs Kp 1
- Levi, Finland, needs Kp 1
- Murmansk, Russia, needs Kp 1
- Tórshavn, Faroe Islands, needs Kp 1
- Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada, needs Kp 2
- Rovaniemi, Finnish Lapland, needs Kp 2
- Anchorage, Alaska, needs Kp 3
- Lerwick, Shetland, Scotland, needs Kp 3
- Edinburgh, Scotland, needs Kp 4
Kiel, northern Germany, needs Kp 6 and does not reach that level in this forecast.
What does the longer outlook show for northern lights?
NOAA SWPC also publishes a daily largest Kp for 27 days. That outlook is a daily maximum, not a promise of aurora at any given hour, and beyond 27 days there is no forecast. The tips for viewing aurora page notes that darkness and clear skies matter alongside geomagnetic activity. A look at the live aurora forecast shows how the numbers move through the day, and the locations page lists the places above with their own Kp thresholds.
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Frequently asked questions
Is a northern lights storm watch active on 10 October 2026?
Yes. NOAA SWPC has a G2 geomagnetic storm watch active, issued on 9 October at 16:36 UTC, according to its alerts page. No warning or alert is listed at the time of reading.
What is the largest Kp for the northern lights in the next three days?
The largest Kp is 5.67 on Monday, 12 October 2026, in the 03-06 UTC slot, a G2 level. Saturday and Sunday both reach 4.67, a G1 level.
Which northern lights destinations reach the Kp they need?
Twenty-two destinations in the list reach the Kp they need, from Ilulissat, Longyearbyen and Nuuk at Kp 1 up to Edinburgh at Kp 4. Kiel, northern Germany, needs Kp 6 and does not reach it in this forecast.
Does a high Kp guarantee northern lights at a destination?
No. A forecast Kp at or above the local threshold is one condition. Aurora also needs a dark and clear sky, as NOAA SWPC notes in its viewing tips.
Text written with AI from NOAA SWPC data and automatically checked against editorial rules before publication. Figures come from the linked sources. Kp Forecast is not an official space weather service.