Aurora destinations · Alaska & Canada
Northern lights in Whitehorse
Yukon, Canada · 60.72°N, 135.06°W
Whitehorse lies under the auroral oval, so aurora is often overhead: a dark, clear night has good odds even when activity is low (magnetic latitude 63°). Light pollution: there is some town glow. In town you need about Kp 1.1; at a dark site nearby, any Kp.
Open the live forecast for Whitehorse
At a glance
- Good odds: from any Kp at a dark site, Kp 1.1 in town
- Best months: March, February and April
- Best weeks in the coming year: 2–15 Feb · 23 Feb – 15 Mar · 23 Mar – 5 Apr
- Too light for aurora: 25 May – 19 Jul (bright nights)
Month by month
A typical night: real darkness and moon, average aurora activity (Kp 2014–2025) and satellite cloud cover (NASA, 2001–2025). Long-range odds, not a forecast.
| Month | Typical night | Clear sky | Dark hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 11% | 33% | 14 h |
| February | 13% | 39% | 12 h |
| March | 14% | 39% | 10 h |
| April | 11% | 33% | 6 h |
| May | 6% | 29% | 2 h |
| June | Too light | 23% | – |
| July | 4% | 26% | 1 h |
| August | 9% | 27% | 6 h |
| September | 9% | 26% | 9 h |
| October | 8% | 23% | 12 h |
| November | 9% | 26% | 14 h |
| December | 11% | 32% | 15 h |
Tips for Whitehorse
- Clouds decide most nights: check the hour-by-hour forecast, and the “Clearer skies nearby” card for a spot within a drive.
- Aurora is usually best between about 22:00 and 02:00 local time; give your eyes 15 minutes in the dark.
- Get away from the town lights: even 10–20 km makes a difference.
Nearby destinations
Fairbanks · Coldfoot · Anchorage · Yellowknife · Churchill · Banff