WhatAWeather3-day Kp forecast (NOAA SWPC)
5-day night cloud cover (Open-Meteo)
Average night cloud cover (10pm-3am local)
Auroral oval map
Best months
| Month | Probability | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| September | High | Equinox, nights start to lengthen |
| October | Very high | Often clear skies, growing darkness |
| November | Very high | Long nights, moderate cold |
| December | High | Longest nights, sometimes overcast |
| January | Very high | Extreme cold, excellent contrast |
| February | Very high | Atmospheric stability |
| March | High | Equinox, last practical month |
Complete guide: aurora in Spanish Pyrenees
Seeing aurora from Spain is rare but not impossible. During the strongest geomagnetic events of the solar cycle (Kp 7-9), aurora crosses over the Pyrenees, the Picos de Europa, northern Galicia and the Cantabrian coast. The reference point for this page is Aigueestortes (42.55 N, 0.92 E), but any high north-facing viewpoint in the Aragonese, Catalan or Navarrese Pyrenees works.
Getting there: airports at Barcelona, Zaragoza, Pamplona, Lleida and Toulouse (French side). By road, access via Vielha, Boi-Taull, Benasque, Panticosa or Sallent de Gallego lets you climb quickly. In winter, carry chains and check AEMET.
Best spots: the Aneto viewpoint from Renclusa refuge, the lakes of Aigueestortes and Sant Maurici, the Ordesa valley, the Tena valley summits, the Guara range, upper Aragon. The Pyrenean advantage: very dark skies (Starlight zones such as Montsec, Aigueestortes), altitude (less atmosphere, less absorption) and decent roads.
Light pollution: in the high Pyrenean valleys it is minimal, comparable to deserts. The cities of Lleida, Huesca and Pamplona are far enough away.
When to try: watch NOAA G4/G5 geomagnetic storm alerts. As soon as Kp 7 or above is forecast during solar cycle 25 (2024-2028), book a refuge or a high parking spot. Aurora seen from Spain is usually red-pink (oxygen at 300 km altitude) because only the highest layers peek over the northern horizon. Historic examples: 10-11 May 2024 (G5), 10 October 2024 (G4), events with aurora seen across all of northern Spain.