Aurora for Fremont, CA
No aurora expected in Fremont tonight
Kp threshold for Fremont: ~9. Tonight's forecast peak: 5.3.
Storm strengthKp 5.3 — Active
Kp is a 0–9 scale of geomagnetic storm strength — the higher it is, the farther south the aurora reaches. Your latitude (38°N) needs roughly Kp 9.
Aurora reaches56°N (you: 37.6°N)
The southern edge of where the aurora is overhead tonight. You can sometimes catch it low on the northern horizon a few degrees farther south.
- Cloud cover15%
- Moon50% brightness
- Dark sky starts10:14 PM
Data as of Jul 21, 2026
Coming Up
Seeing the northern lights from Fremont, CA
Fremont sits at about 37.6°N. The aurora becomes visible here only when a geomagnetic storm expands the auroral oval far enough south to reach your latitude — roughly Kp 9 or stronger. Storms that strong reach this far south only a handful of nights a year, most often near the peak of the Sun's 11-year activity cycle (which we are close to now).
When a storm is in range, find a spot with a clear, dark view of the northern horizon, away from city lights, after evening twilight ends. This far south the aurora usually shows as a low green or red glow near the horizon rather than overhead curtains — a camera often captures it before your eyes do.
A bright moon or clouds will wash out a faint display, so the best nights pair a strong storm with clear, dark skies. Check back here on active nights for the current odds in Fremont.