Aurora Borealis in Bideford
United Kingdom · 51.02°, -4.21° · geomagnetic 53.6° · needs Kp 7
Tonight's aurora forecast for Bideford
1%
Peak chance of a visible display tonight, from the same model the Revon app runs. Bideford needs Kp 7 to see anything at all, and tonight the forecast peaks at Kp 4.9. Short of the threshold, which is what most nights look like here.
Get the full 30-night forecast in Revon
Updated 2026-09-08 10:36 UTC
Local aurora guide for Bideford
Bideford is at 53.6° geomagnetic latitude. Auroras are typically visible at this latitude during intense geomagnetic storms, which correspond to a Kp index of 7 or higher.
On average, there are about 2.7 nights per year where conditions might be suitable for aurora viewing in this region. The historical record spans from April 2, 2016, to March 30, 2026.
The best months for aurora viewing in Bideford are September, August, and November. These months offer a good balance of darkness and potential aurora activity.
During June and July, there is not enough darkness for aurora viewing due to the extended daylight hours.
Bideford experiences a Bortle 5 sky, indicating moderate light pollution. Areas with darker skies, such as Bortle 4 conditions, can be found approximately 15 km east near North Devon.
Some areas with Bortle 5 conditions are located about 3 km west-south-west near Torridge District.
The horizon in Bideford is characterized by features including Horsey Island to the north-north-east, Prospect Hill to the east-north-east, and Saunton Sands to the north.
Geographic features near Bideford include Horsey Island, located 7.7 km north-north-east, and Prospect Hill, a hill situated 7.9 km east-north-east.
Saunton Sands, a beach, is found 9.4 km north of Bideford. Tent Hill, another hill, is located 11.0 km east-north-east.
Baggy Point, a headland, is situated 13.6 km north-north-west of Bideford.
There have been 23 verified aurora reports within 300 km of Bideford between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2016.
Historically, nights with Kp values of 7.0 or higher, which are conducive to aurora viewing, have occurred on dates such as March 20, 2026, January 20, 2026, and January 19, 2026.
Other notable dates with high Kp values include November 12, 2025, and November 11, 2025.
Sources: Revon analysis of NOAA planetary Kp · Solar declination and hour-angle calculation · Falchi 2016 World Atlas of artificial night sky brightness · GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) · Aurorasaurus verified positive reports
Know when it is worth going outside
Revon watches the Bideford forecast and pushes an alert when the odds for tonight clear your threshold — no checking, no guessing.
Nearby towns
Forecasts for places within reach of Bideford.