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Aurora in Invercargill

Best time to see the southern lights (aurora australis) in Invercargill, New Zealand — tonight's odds, the next 7 nights, and the best months to go, with tours to book. Odds combine the live NOAA Kp forecast, the cloud outlook, and the dark-hours window.

Sees aurora at Kp 5+ Season: Southern winter — March to September
5/100
Low
OVATION oval now0%overhead probability

Tonight's odds in Invercargill are low: solar activity looks quiet tonight (Kp 3.3, below Invercargill's usual Kp 5 threshold), and the sky outlook is mostly cloudy.

Kp 3.3forecast peak tonight
Kp 5needed to see it here
76%mostly cloudy
~12 hdark-hours window

Right now, the planet-wide aurora activity is Kp 1.3 (latest NOAA observed reading). What's Kp?

Best time to see the aurora in Invercargill

The best months in Invercargill are June, July, May — long, dark nights plus the equinox activity boost, when the odds are genuinely worth booking around. Tonight is one data point; the next 7 nights below show how the window is trending. Plan ahead and book a tour for your dates.

Find Invercargill aurora tours → Month-by-month guide for Invercargill →

Know when Invercargill is about to light up

Aurora odds swing night to night. Leave your email and we'll tell you when Invercargill hits its best window — time to book a tour for your dates.

Aurora forecast for Invercargill — the next 3 nights

Tue 9 PM Kp 3.3
Wed 6 PM Kp 2
Thu 6 PM Kp 2.7
NightPeak KpCloudOdds
Tue 9 PM Kp 3.3 76% · mostly cloudy 5 Low
Wed 6 PM Kp 2 76% · mostly cloudy 0 Low
Thu 6 PM Kp 2.7 71% · mostly cloudy 0 Low

A ✓ means the forecast Kp clears Invercargill's Kp 5 visibility threshold — but clear skies still decide the night.

Cloud outlook & dark hours

Cloud cover is the dealbreaker: a strong aurora under an overcast sky is a no-show. Tonight's dark-hours window in Invercargill looks mostly cloudy (about 76% cloud on average). The aurora is best viewed away from town lights with a clear view toward the south.

Bluff Hill and the Foveaux Strait coast give a clear southern horizon over water. Get out of the city grid first; Invercargill's own lighting will wash out a weak display.

Northern lights tours & stays in Invercargill

Tour links below go to live search results. We're finalizing affiliate partnerships — once active we'll earn a commission on bookings at no extra cost to you. Disclosure.

Aurora tours from Invercargill typically run $70–$250 per person. A guided "chase" that drives to the clearest sky is often worth it when the local forecast is cloudy.

Northern lights tours from Invercargill

Viator · guided tours · from $70

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Aurora chases & photo tours in Invercargill

GetYourGuide · guided tours · from $70

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Cabins, lodges & glass igloos near Invercargill

Booking.com · lodging

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These are probabilistic viewing odds, not a guarantee. We build them from public NOAA space-weather forecasts (planetary Kp + the OVATION oval model) and Open-Meteo cloud forecasts — both can change fast, and clear skies and solar activity are inherently uncertain. The aurora is a natural phenomenon; some clear, active nights still disappoint, and some quiet nights surprise. How we compute the score.