Tonight
Oct 28 - Oct 29
- 10 °C
0 percent cloud cover - 10 °C0 percent cloud cover
- 10 °C2 percent cloud cover
Northern Lights Forecast for Toronto
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
43°39′11.5″N ⋅ 79°22′59.5″W
Aurora data last updated at
Current local time:
Can you see the Northern Lights in Toronto tonight?
No significant aurora activity is expected in Toronto over the next 24 hours. Sky will be dark from 7:16 PM to 6:46 AM local time. Cloud cover around that time looks clear skies at around 20%.
Aurora Forecast for Toronto
Today at 2:00 PM
No activity
Cloud Cover:18%
Aurora activity
High clouds
Middle clouds
Low clouds
Fog
Aurora activity
High clouds
Middle clouds
Low clouds
Fog
Hourly aurora forecast for Toronto
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3-Night Weather Forecast for Toronto
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Tomorrow night
Oct 29 - Oct 30
- 17 °C
34 percent cloud cover - 15 °C
100 percent cloud cover - 11 °C1 percent cloud cover
Friday night
Oct 30 - Oct 31
- 9 °C6 percent cloud cover
- 8 °C5 percent cloud cover
- 7 °C3 percent cloud cover
Sun & Moon
Sunset
Sunrise
Dark from 07:16 PM to 06:46 AM (11 h 30 min)
Current Moon
Waning Gibbous
91% illumination
Refresh to load today's sun path.
Long-Term Aurora Forecast for Toronto
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wednesday, October 28, 2026. Today. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Waning gibbous, 92% illumination | Thursday, October 29, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Waning gibbous, 85% illumination | Friday, October 30, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Waning gibbous, 76% illumination | Saturday, October 31, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Last quarter, 65% illumination | Sunday, November 1, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Last quarter, 54% illumination | ||
Monday, November 2, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Last quarter, 43% illumination | Tuesday, November 3, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Last quarter, 32% illumination | Wednesday, November 4, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Waning crescent, 23% illumination | Thursday, November 5, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Waning crescent, 14% illumination | Friday, November 6, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Waning crescent, 8% illumination | Saturday, November 7, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. New moon, 3% illumination | Sunday, November 8, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. New moon, 1% illumination |
Monday, November 9, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. New moon, 0% illumination | Tuesday, November 10, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. New moon, 2% illumination | Wednesday, November 11, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Waxing crescent, 5% illumination | Thursday, November 12, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Waxing crescent, 10% illumination | Friday, November 13, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Waxing crescent, 16% illumination | Saturday, November 14, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Waxing crescent, 23% illumination | Sunday, November 15, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. First quarter, 32% illumination |
Monday, November 16, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. First quarter, 41% illumination | Tuesday, November 17, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. First quarter, 50% illumination | Wednesday, November 18, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. First quarter, 60% illumination | Thursday, November 19, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Waxing gibbous, 70% illumination | Friday, November 20, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Waxing gibbous, 79% illumination | Saturday, November 21, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Waxing gibbous, 87% illumination | Sunday, November 22, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Waxing gibbous, 94% illumination |
Monday, November 23, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Full moon, 98% illumination | Tuesday, November 24, 2026. No aurora activity. Aurora score 0 out of 10. Full moon, 100% illumination |
LowAurora ActivityHigh
Best Time to See the Northern Lights in Toronto
The nights in Toronto are dark all year. The aurora is rare in Toronto: your best chances are in October, and again in March.
- Dark hours
- Chance of aurora
Long-term averages for clear nights, since 1985. Geomagnetic data: GFZ, CC BY 4.0
Every night of 2026 in Toronto, January at the top: how long it's dark, and the chance of aurora on a clear night.
Northern Lights in Toronto
Toronto is a city of 2.8 million at 43.65°N on the north-west shore of Lake Ontario, in southern Ontario. The lake is on the wrong side: it lies south, and the aurora shows in the north, over the rest of the Greater Toronto Area. It takes about a G3 strong storm for the aurora to show clearly here. Ottawa, almost two degrees further north, sees it with a smaller storm.
The east-end shore: The Beaches and Bluffers Park
Chris Ratzlaff, an aurora chaser from Airdrie, Alberta, told CBC that Toronto is trickier than Vancouver, Calgary or Winnipeg because its light pollution is so strong. In a big storm the aurora has still been photographed from the east end. Over The Beaches the red has shown above the downtown lights behind the CN Tower, and at the Scarborough Bluffs the sky over Bluffers Park Marina has gone bright green. The sky has looked brighter still from Bracebridge, about 150 km north.
Under the city’s glow the sky can look grey while a phone in night mode shows pink and green. See photographing the aurora with an iPhone.
Lake Simcoe, looking north from Jackson’s Point
Around Jackson’s Point and Sibbald Point Provincial Park, about 70 km north, the city is behind you and you look north across a lake 30 km long, which freezes over completely in winter.
Torrance Barrens on Southwood Road
Torrance Barrens Dark-Sky Preserve in Muskoka became Canada’s first dark-sky preserve in 1999. Turn off Highway 11 between Washago and Gravenhurst and drive about 20 minutes west on Southwood Road. The main viewing area is the granite outcrop behind the Ministry sign, and the first ridge past the boardwalk gives a full 360-degree view.
FAQ
Why is it so hard to see the northern lights in Toronto?
Two reasons. The aurora appears in the northern sky, and from Toronto north means looking across the rest of the Greater Toronto Area, while the dark open sky over Lake Ontario is to the south, on the wrong side. And the city is far enough south that it takes a strong storm for the aurora to show clearly here. In a big storm CBC has photographed its red glow above the downtown lights behind the CN Tower.
Where in Toronto have people photographed the northern lights?
CBC journalists have photographed the aurora over The Beaches in the east end, with the Balmy Beach Club in view, and above Bluffers Park Marina at the foot of the Scarborough Bluffs, where the sky turned bright green. Both are on the Lake Ontario shore in the east end, away from the downtown towers.
How do you find the viewing area at Torrance Barrens?
Turn off Highway 11 between Washago and Gravenhurst and drive about 20 minutes west on Southwood Road. The Muskoka preserve was recognised in 1999 as Canada's first dark-sky preserve, and its low ridges of bare granite give an open sky. Set up on the outcrop behind the Ministry sign, or climb the first ridge past the boardwalk for a 360-degree view.
Can you see the northern lights from Lake Simcoe?
Yes, when the storm is strong enough, and the south shore puts the lake on the right side. From Jackson's Point or Sibbald Point Provincial Park, about 70 km north of Toronto, you look north across up to 30 km of water, with the city's glow behind you. In winter the lake freezes over completely, and the open ice gives a flat horizon.
When is the best time to see the northern lights in Toronto?
The nights in Toronto are dark all year. The aurora is rare in Toronto: your best chances are in October, and again in March. The longest nights, around 21 December, have about 13 hours of darkness.
Can you see the northern lights in Toronto in summer?
Yes. The nights in Toronto are dark all year, so the aurora can show in summer too when it reaches this far south.
What Kp index do I need to see the northern lights in Toronto?
In Toronto, you usually need at least Kp 7 to have a reasonable chance of seeing the northern lights. Lower Kp can still bring a faint aurora display low on the northern horizon, but it is less common.
This is based on magnetic latitude, and Kp index is a global geomagnetic index, so treat it as a rule of thumb, not a location-specific guarantee.
Tonight, the NOAA Kp index forecast is 1.3 to 1.7. That is below the usual Kp index threshold for Toronto, so seeing the aurora is unlikely.