Best month to see the northern lights in Churchill

Month-by-month viewing quality

Why these months?

Two things decide your odds in Churchill: darkness and activity. You need real darkness — so the bright midnight-sun months are out no matter how strong the aurora is. On top of that, geomagnetic storms run statistically stronger around the spring and autumn equinoxes (the Russell–McPherron effect), which is why September and October and February and March tend to edge out the dead of winter. Churchill's season runs mid-august to march.

Churchill, on Hudson Bay, sits under one of the most active stretches of the oval anywhere — locals see the aurora on roughly 300 nights a year. It's also the world's polar-bear capital, so tours pair the two.

Where to stand in Churchill

Purpose-built viewing domes outside town and the tundra lodges; the very high mag-latitude means even quiet nights often deliver.

Tours & stays to book