Aurora Borealis in Sunderland

United Kingdom · 54.90°, -1.38° · geomagnetic 56.9° · needs Kp 7

Tonight's aurora forecast for Sunderland

23%

Peak chance of a visible display tonight, from the same model the Revon app runs. Sunderland 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.

Tonight Tue 08 Sep
23%
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Get the full 30-night forecast in Revon

Updated 2026-09-08 10:35 UTC

Local aurora guide for Sunderland

Sunderland is located at 56.9° geomagnetic latitude. Auroras are typically visible at this latitude when the Kp index reaches 7.

On average, there are about 2.6 nights per year when conditions are suitable for aurora viewing in Sunderland. This is based on historical data spanning from 2016 to 2026.

The best months for aurora viewing in Sunderland are September, August, and November. These months offer a good balance of darkness and potential aurora activity.

During May, June, and July, Sunderland experiences periods without full darkness, which can impact aurora visibility.

Sunderland has a Bortle scale rating of 6, indicating moderate light pollution. Areas with Bortle 4 ratings can be found 30 km south-east near Tyne and Wear, and Bortle 5 areas are 14 km north-east near Tyne and Wear.

The horizon to the north-north-east is characterized by Whitburn Bay, a bay approximately 4.0 km away. To the north-west, Boldon Hills, a hill, is located 5.8 km away. Souter Point, a headland, is 6.1 km to the north-north-east.

Whitburn Bay is a coastal feature located 4.0 km north-north-east of Sunderland.

Boldon Hills, a prominent hill, is situated 5.8 km north-west of Sunderland.

Souter Point, a headland, lies 6.1 km north-north-east of the city. Beacon Hill, another hill, is 6.8 km north of Sunderland, with Souter Lighthouse located 7.4 km north.

There have been 225 verified aurora reports within 300 km of Sunderland between January 2015 and December 2016.

Notable recent qualifying nights, based on Kp index, include March 20, 2026 (Kp 7.0), January 20, 2026 (Kp 7.67), and January 19, 2026 (Kp 8.67).

Additional qualifying nights occurred on November 12, 2025 (Kp 7.33) and November 11, 2025 (Kp 8.67).

Sources: Revon location dataset · 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

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Revon watches the Sunderland forecast and pushes an alert when the odds for tonight clear your threshold — no checking, no guessing.

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Nearby towns

Forecasts for places within reach of Sunderland.