Vancouver · British Columbia, Canada

Aurora forecast for Vancouver

Is an aurora trip worthwhile tonight from Vancouver?

Wait for a real gap in the clouds.

Cloud or rain at the NOAA forecast time blocks a useful local check, even if activity is modeled above it.

Astronomical darkness
Dark now · dark at 6 Nov, 20:56
Local modeled activity
0 · NOAA grid indicator, not a visibility %
Cloud at NOAA forecast time
94%

Local visibility probability: not rated. Nearby activity is conditional, not a guaranteed display; exceptionally bright aurora may show through twilight.

Open aurora tool for this position

Vancouver city reference, not the whole metropolitan area. Calculated 6 Nov, 20:05 local. NOAA forecast valid 6 Nov, 20:56 local; darkness and clouds are assessed at that time.

Calculation details, times & sources

City reference: 49.24966°, -123.11934° · America/Vancouver. This is one position, not a forecast for the entire metropolitan area.

Current local time: 6 Nov, 20:05 · astronomically dark.

Calculated for local · 2026-11-07T03:05:00.000Z.

Weather basis: Live forecast in use · coverage through 16 Nov, 05:00.

NOAA activity fetched 2026-11-07T03:06:13.682Z · latest Kp sample 2026-11-07T00:00:00 UTC. OVATION observation 2026-11-07T02:57:00Z · forecast valid at 2026-11-07T03:56:00Z. Current activity is not a promise for the whole night, tomorrow or the weekend. Bz and solar-wind source timestamps are not supplied by the existing data adapter.

What supports this assessment

Current Kp
3.0
Local OVATION indicator
0 · nearest grid point 29 km away; not a personal viewing percentage
Maximum indicator within 1,000 km
8 · 953 km away; distant viewing conditional
Forecast-time darkness
Astronomically dark
Forecast-time clouds
94% · matching forecast hour
Bz
1.0 nT · fetched with this snapshot
Solar wind
443 km/s · fetched with this snapshot
Night cloud average
93%
Astronomical darkness begins
6 Nov, 19:32
Astronomical darkness ends
7 Nov, 06:21
Moon illumination
5% · context, not an aurora score input

NOAA OVATION supplies the geographic activity grid for both hemispheres. Indicators are not personal viewing probabilities. NOAA says bright aurora may be visible up to 1,000 km away under suitable conditions; the nearby maximum is conditional context, not a guarantee. SnapCosmos accepts observations up to two hours old and targets no more than 20 minutes past or 90 minutes ahead. Moonlight remains separate context; no new scoring input is introduced.

Full assessment basis: The forecast-time sky is 94% cloud-covered. Modeled aurora above the clouds is not a reason to make an observing trip. Darkness boundaries are astronomical geometry, not a promise of aurora activity during those hours.

Northern lights in Vancouver: What you should know

Vancouver, BC — not Vancouver, Washington

This forecast starts at the Vancouver, British Columbia city reference, 49.25° north. It is neither a forecast for Vancouver Island nor for the city across the US border. Choose your actual position if you are travelling outside the city; cloud cover and horizon clearance can differ.

Source: GeoNames — Vancouver, British Columbia

An observing season is not an aurora season

RASC Vancouver describes community observing, including an August Perseid watch at Aldergrove Regional Park outside Vancouver. That is a useful reminder to distinguish the city reference from an observing site, not a recommendation to travel there tonight. Longer winter darkness still cannot guarantee aurora; NOAA activity and local clouds remain separate checks.

Source: RASC Vancouver observing community

Coordinates and IANA time zone: Open-Meteo geocoding / GeoNames, checked 25 October 2026. Local clocks follow the named time zone, including applicable clock changes.