Aurora Borealis in Willmar
United States · 45.12°, -95.04° · geomagnetic 53.6° · needs Kp 7
Tonight's aurora forecast for Willmar
1%
Peak chance of a visible display tonight, from the same model the Revon app runs. Willmar needs Kp 7 to see anything at all, and tonight the forecast peaks at Kp 4.7. 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 Willmar
Willmar is located at 53.6° geomagnetic latitude. Auroras are typically visible at this latitude during periods of high geomagnetic activity, specifically when the Kp index reaches 7 or higher.
On average, there are about 3.2 nights per year in this region where conditions are favorable for aurora viewing, based on historical data from 2016 to 2026.
The best months for aurora viewing in Willmar are May, September, and August. These months offer a good balance of darkness and potential aurora activity.
Willmar has a Bortle scale rating of 5, indicating moderate light pollution. Areas with lower Bortle ratings offer darker skies.
Darker skies, rated Bortle 4, can be found near Fahlun Township, approximately 14 km south-south-east of Willmar, and near Arctander Township, 22 km north-west of Willmar.
The horizon is relatively clear in several directions, with Oslo Lake 3.1 km north-west, Vos Park 3.2 km west, and College View Park 3.4 km west-north-west of Willmar.
Areas around Willmar offer varied horizons. Oslo Lake is located 3.1 km north-west, providing a view over the water.
Vos Park is situated 3.2 km west, and College View Park is 3.4 km west-north-west, offering open spaces.
Further afield, Swan Lake is 4.2 km north-north-east, and Mount Tom is 22.7 km north of Willmar.
Between 2016 and 2026, there were approximately 3.2 nights per year with conditions suitable for aurora viewing in the Willmar region.
Historical records show verified aurora sightings in the broader region. Specific qualifying nights with high geomagnetic activity (Kp 7.0 or higher) occurred on March 20, 2026; January 20, 2026; January 19, 2026; November 12, 2025; and November 11, 2025.
Sources: Revon analysis of NOAA planetary Kp · Revon location dataset · Falchi 2016 World Atlas of artificial night sky brightness · GeoNames (CC BY 4.0)
Know when it is worth going outside
Revon watches the Willmar 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 Willmar.