Aurora Forecast and Prediction for Pullman, Washington
Kp: 1.67 | Bz: 1.99
Best Viewing Window: 6:31 PM – 6:41 AM PDT (12h 10m) · peak hours typically 11:01 PM – 3:01 AM
Best Viewing Window:
6:31 PM – 6:41 AM PDT Space Weather Now
Timing: Tonight
Webcam
No aurora cams nearby. Center on nearest camera (542 mi away).
Browse other webcams on Windy3-Day Forecast for Pullman, Washington
Oct 16
Kp 1.7 is short of the roughly Kp 6 the aurora needs to clear the northern horizon from Pullman.
Global: Quiet planetary conditions expected - aurora mostly confined to the far north.
Best time to look up: 11:00 PM–2:00 AM PDT
15% chance of elevated activity · Kp 1.67 during viewing window
Oct 17
Kp 1.7 is short of the roughly Kp 6 the aurora needs to clear the northern horizon from Pullman.
Global: Quiet planetary conditions expected - aurora mostly confined to the far north.
Best time to look up: 11:00 PM–2:00 AM PDT
15% chance of elevated activity · Kp 1.67 during viewing window
Oct 18
Global: This night's forecast isn't in NOAA's 3-day window yet - check back closer to the date.
This night's forecast isn't available yet - check back closer to the date.
Aurora Oval & Satellite & Sun
Interactive Aurora Globe
Satellite View
Sunspots
Current sunspot number: 104
Coronal Mass Ejections
Aurora Photography by Todd Salat
Original prints from Todd Salat's collection.
Whirled View
Turnagain Arm · 2015
White Satin
Kenai Mountains · 2017
AK Caboose
Portage Depot, Alaska · 2021
Solar Wind & IMF (GSM)
- Bt
- 4.7 nT
- Bx
- 2 nT
- By
- -3.6 nT
- Bz
- 1.99 nT
- Clock Angle θ
- 25.3°
- Cone Angle φ
- 299.4°
- Speed
- 468 km/s
- Density
- 5 p/cc
IMF Detail (GSE) & Source
- Bx
- 2 nT
- By
- -3.9 nT
- Bz
- 1.2 nT
- θ Angle
- 14.4°
- φ Angle
- 297°
- Satellite
- SOLAR-1
- Data Quality
- Good
- Reading Time
- Oct 16, 3:12 PM PDT
Geomagnetic Indices
- Kp (now)
- 1.67
- Dst
- -21 nT
- HPI
- 8 GW
- Sunspot Number
- 104
Aurora Model
- Ovation Value
- 0
- Ovation Label
- None
- Model Data Time
- Oct 16, 4:08 PM PDT
- Ovation Data
- Live
Scores & Ratings
- Aurora Visibility
- 0 · Poor
- Aurora Visibility (w/ Moon)
- 0 · Poor
- Prediction Score
- 0 · Little to None
Sky & Location
- Cloud Cover
- 6% · Clear
- Clouds, Next Dark Window
- 98% · Overcast · ×0.05
- Aurora Visibility Tonight
- 0 · Poor (Outlook Tonight 0 × cloud 0.05)
- Solar Elevation
- 22.9° · Daytime
- Moon Phase
- Waxing Crescent
- Moon Illumination
- 31%
- Moon Altitude
- 10.5° · Up
- Latitude
- 46.73127
- Longitude
- -117.17962
- Geomagnetic Latitude
- 52.9°
- Horizon Threshold
- Kp 6
- Overhead Threshold
- Kp 8
Prediction Model Inputs
- Bz Persistence (60min)
- 3 nT
- Newell Coupling
- 1675
- Latitude Gate
- 0.00 now · 0.00 tonight (horizon Kp 5.7, verdict rounds to Kp 6)
- Dynamic Pressure
- 1.8 nPa
- Storm Watch (CME)
- —
- Watch Predicted Kp
- —
Timing & Signal Agreement
- Timing
- Tonight
- Signal Agreement
- High (5 of 5)
- Do the live inputs point the same way as the score? A score lifted by this city's own Kp can read Low while the solar wind is calm.
- L1 Delay
- ~53 min
- Magnetic Midnight
- 1:01 AM (peak hours 11:01 PM – 3:01 AM)
- Best Viewing Window
- 6:31 PM – 6:41 AM PDT (12h 10m)
3-Day Kp Forecast
| UT slot (PDT) | Oct 16 UT | Oct 17 UT | Oct 18 UT |
|---|---|---|---|
| 00–03 UT (5:00 PM–8:00 PM) | 2.33 | 1.67 | 1.67 |
| 03–06 UT (8:00 PM–11:00 PM) | 2.67 | 1.67 | 1.67 |
| 06–09 UT (11:00 PM–2:00 AM) | 2 | 1.33 | 1.33 |
| 09–12 UT (2:00 AM–5:00 AM) | 1.67 | 1.33 | 1.33 |
| 12–15 UT (5:00 AM–8:00 AM) | 1.67 | 1.33 | 1.33 |
| 15–18 UT (8:00 AM–11:00 AM) | 2 | 1.33 | 1.33 |
| 18–21 UT (11:00 AM–2:00 PM) | 2 | 1.33 | 1.33 |
| 21–00 UT (2:00 PM–5:00 PM) | 2.67 | 1.67 | 1.67 |
| Max | 2.67 | 1.67 | 1.67 |
| Ap Index | 8 | 5 | 5 |
Columns are NOAA's UT days, so in PDT a column's first rows fall on the previous local evening.
Storm Probability
| Level | Oct 16 UT | Oct 17 UT | Oct 18 UT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active | 20% | 15% | 15% |
| Minor storm | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| Moderate storm | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| Strong-Extreme storm | 1% | 1% | 1% |
Planetary K-index
Interplanetary Magnetic Field Bz2.5 nT now
Southward (negative) Bz favors aurora. Observed data only, no forecast product exists for Bz.
Total IMF Field Bt4.6 nT now
Total interplanetary magnetic field strength - the ceiling on how negative Bz can go. A rising Bt alongside a still-fluctuating Bz often leads a stronger southward turn. Observed data only, no forecast product exists for Bt.
Global Storm Trend17 global now
Global (hemisphere-wide, not this city) prediction score over the last 24 hours, logged every 5 minutes - may differ from the Prediction ring above, which is specific to this location and time of night. Red from 60 (Strong), yellow from 40 (Moderate), teal below - the same cutoffs as the Prediction ring. Dashed line is the overall trend.
Dst History-21 nT now
Kyoto Dst geomagnetic storm index over the last 24 hours. Negative = ring-current energy stored = an active storm, not just predicted. Red below −50nT, yellow −20 to −50nT, teal above −20nT.
Solar Wind Speed & Pressure
Each line is scaled independently to its own 24h range (different units) - watch the shape, not a shared axis. A rising speed line or a pressure spike can signal an incoming stream or shock before Bz/Dst move.
Nerd Mode: See what’s really driving the score. Live solar wind, Bz, Kp, Dst, CME timing, and more. Data comes from NOAA SWPC and the Kyoto WDC, with a few metrics calculated here from the raw data. Live data refreshes every minute; trend charts every five.
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