Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest by the Cascades. Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest is the largest and sits centrally, separated from Mt. There are nine National Forests within the state of Washington alone. The panoramic views of the nearby mountains should make for an ideal backdrop to any Northern Lights activity. It’s free to park and access the trail at any time of day and, while it’s a popular trail during the day, should be quite empty at night. Only 1.9 miles up the path is a junction that leads you to Rattlesnake Ledge: a large, exposed cliff face, or you can continue further to Middle or Upper Ledge with even loftier views. The trip to the top is four miles roundtrip and steadily rises through a series of switchbacks, gaining 1,160 ft overall. Just east of Seattle is the Snoqualmie Region, Rattlesnake Ledge looks out over Rattlesnake Lake. The park closes at dusk to daytrippers, so if you do want to try to see the Northern Lights you will have to camp overnight. The views from up top allow for completely uninterrupted skyline. But if you’re in it for the nighttime views, there are 13 miles worth of trails, including the hike up the butte that rises 650 ft. The area spans over 600 acres and rises 800 feet.īy day you can swim, paddle, and boat on Banks Lake. Steamboat Rock State Park is another protected area that’s known for its views. Here are the best places to see the Northern Lights in Washington state: Steamboat Rock State Park For the state of Washington, you need to rely on a 5 to see the aurora – maybe a 4, depending on where you are in the state. Seattle is actually in the Kp-index 5 zone. Washington is well situated.Īccording to the Kp-index, a mere 4 is needed for guaranteed visibility from Vancouver (just north of the state) or Billings, Montana (in line with the bottom of the state) however, since the Earth is a globe, the line that runs through these places curve on a map just like latitude, meaning that Middle latitudes need more of a 7 to be able to see them, while lower latitudes (closer to the equator) need an 8 or 9. Meteorologists then use an algorithm adjusted to the latitude at which the recording was measured to determine the odds of seeing the Northern Lights in that location.Īnything below a 4 and you are unlikely to see the Lights, regardless of your position on Earth. The Kp-index is measured by recording the geomagnetic activity at certain places across the globe over a three hour period. It is a scale from 0 to 9 that rates the likelihood of the aurora, with 0 meaning extremely unlikely visibility and 9 denoting an extreme geomagnetic storm. It’s possible to forecast the Northern Lights’ appearance thanks to the Kp-index. What is the KP-Index and how does that relate to seeing the northern lights in Washington? It’s hardly a once-in-a-lifetime experience for residents, and the odds are higher for vacationers visiting Washington than if they wanted to view the lights from, say, Wyoming. In September 2021, a photo taken by an amateur aurora chaser documented the Lights off Neah Bay, the most northwestern tip of Washington.īased on the most recent sightings, it’s safe to say that the Northern Lights are a common occurrence in Washington state. The aurora was so strong that a time-lapse video taken of the skyline over Seattle shows the colors dancing despite the city’s light pollution. Just before that, a slightly grander sighting was recorded in October 2021. At around 1:00-2:00 in the morning, several night owls from central Washington captured photos of a seemingly phosphorescent sky colored with swathes of green and pink. The last time the aurora was seen was very recently, just in February 2022. When was the last time the northern lights was visible in Washington? You can certainly see the Northern Lights from Washington. It is not only possible to see the Northern Lights in Washington state, it is proven! There have been recorded instances – by word-of-mouth and through photographic evidence – of the aurora painting the Pacific skyline. Can you see the northern lights in Washington? You don’t have to go that far afield, though. Iceland and other nordic countries are popular destinations for aurora cruises or overnight camping vacations. Many destinations sell their tourist industry based on the Northern Lights. The truth is that our planet (as well as a few others in the system) is capable of beautiful – and harmless – things. Over the centuries, people have mistaken the aurora borealis as a sign from the gods, a nuclear fallout, Judgement Day … anything supernatural. Technically an interference in the magnetosphere caused by solar wind, we view them with awe and grandeur. The Northern Lights are a phenomenon that date back as far as time itself.
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