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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
11/100
Low
OVATION oval now0%overhead probability

Tonight's odds in Invercargill are low: solar activity is forecast strong enough (Kp 6) for the aurora to reach Invercargill, and the sky outlook is overcast.

Kp 6forecast peak tonight
Kp 5needed to see it here
100%overcast
~9 hdark-hours window

Right now, the planet-wide aurora activity is Kp 2 (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

Sat 1 AM Kp 6
Sat 10 PM Kp 3
Sun 10 PM Kp 3
NightPeak KpCloudOdds
Sat 1 AM Kp 6 ✓ 100% · overcast 11 Low
Sat 10 PM Kp 3 39% · partly cloudy 0 Low
Sun 10 PM Kp 3 70% · 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 overcast (about 100% 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.