Space weather, with the time attached
Geomagnetic storm tracker
Read the latest observed storm level alongside NOAA’s forecast notices. Keep the timestamp in view: a prediction for tomorrow and a reading from today answer different questions.
Aurora Hunt independently presents public NOAA SWPC data. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by NOAA.
Observed conditions
Up to dateLatest reading: below storm level
A three-hour planetary reading. Conditions may have changed since this timestamp.
Storm levels start at G1 (Kp 5). This global measure does not tell you whether aurora is visible from your location.
Official NOAA notices
Up to dateWatches and warnings
A watch describes possible conditions on a future UTC date. A warning predicts conditions over a shorter interval. Neither establishes the observed storm level above.
No applicable storm watches, warnings or current-interval threshold reports in the checked NOAA feed.
Read the official NOAA bulletin ↗Planning outlook
Up to dateThe next seven UTC days
Daily maximum Kp predictions from NOAA’s weekly planning bulletin. These are forecasts, not observations or an official storm watch.
- Thu, Oct 22Kp 3
- Fri, Oct 23Kp 2
- Sat, Oct 24Kp 4
- Sun, Oct 25Kp 3
- Mon, Oct 26Kp 2
- Tue, Oct 27Kp 2
- Wed, Oct 28Kp 2
The planning outlook is unavailable.
Updates automatically. All data times are shown in UTC.
From global activity to your sky
Check where aurora could be visible
A G-level is global context. The auroral oval, magnetic latitude, darkness and cloud cover determine whether a storm could translate into a useful viewing opportunity near you.
NOAA geomagnetic storm levels
| Level | Description | Kp |
|---|---|---|
| G1 | Minor | 5 |
| G2 | Moderate | 6 |
| G3 | Strong | 7 |
| G4 | Severe | 8, including 9− |
| G5 | Extreme | 9 |
Kp below 5 is below the NOAA storm threshold. Kp 9− belongs to G4; G5 starts at Kp 9. These levels do not guarantee aurora visibility.
NOAA scale definitions ↗Reading storm conditions
Is a geomagnetic storm happening right now?
The observed card shows the latest reported three-hour planetary Kp reading and its timestamp. It may lag current conditions. A NOAA watch or warning predicts conditions; it does not confirm that its forecast storm level has been observed.
Does a G4 watch mean a G4 storm is active?
No. A G4 or greater watch describes a forecast risk for the dates listed. Read the observed Kp separately and check its timestamp. Forecasts may be changed or cancelled.
Will I see northern lights during a storm?
A stronger storm can expand aurora toward lower magnetic latitudes, but visibility still depends on the auroral oval, your location, darkness, cloud cover and the view toward the horizon. Use a local forecast before making a viewing decision.
Why do the notices and Kp disagree?
They describe different things and times: Kp is an observed planetary index, warnings and watches predict conditions, and the weekly outlook is a planning forecast. A notice may remain valid while observed conditions fluctuate.
What does delayed or unavailable mean?
Delayed means a previous usable response is retained or the source timestamp is old. Unavailable means the source could not be verified or no usable data remains. Neither label means that storm conditions are absent.
Sources and update timing
Observed Kp comes from NOAA’s planetary K-index product. Notices come from NOAA’s watches, warnings and alerts feed. The seven-day view uses the current weekly planning bulletin. Each source can be delayed independently; all dates and times above are UTC.
The page checks for updates each minute; upstream responses are cached for five minutes. Expired notices are removed as the clock advances. During a source interruption, retained data is marked delayed and is kept for at most one hour after its last successful retrieval.
