When to See the Northern Lights in Alaska: A Month-by-Month Guide

The Northern Lights are active year-round, but in Alaska you can only see them when the sky is dark — which rules out the midnight-sun summer. Here's how the aurora season breaks down month by month.

May–July: off-season

Too much daylight. Fairbanks barely gets dark around the solstice, so aurora viewing is effectively impossible even when the lights are active.

Late August–September: the season opens

Darkness returns and the weather is still relatively mild. Around the September equinox, geomagnetic activity tends to tick up — a great, comfortable time to start.

October–November: longer nights

Nights get long fast and crowds are thinner. Expect cold and the occasional cloudy stretch.

December–January: darkest and coldest

Maximum darkness and the deepest cold (often well below zero). Long viewing windows — but dress for the extreme and watch for clear skies.

February–March: the sweet spot

Many regulars' favorite: long dark nights, often clearer skies, and another equinox bump in March. It also lines up with the World Ice Art Championships in Fairbanks.

April: the season closes

Still possible early in the month before the light takes over again.

More on where to stand and what to bring: our Aurora Season guide, the best viewing spots near Fairbanks, and how to photograph the lights.