The Northern Lights are one of the most dazzling natural phenomena around, and many who live in Canada have a front-row seat. A new study conducted by odds experts, AceOdds, reveals just where in the country you’ll get the best view of the aurora borealis. So if you’re hoping to catch them this year, read on!
The study looks at levels of light pollution, average hours of clear skies, and distance to the North Pole to rank the cities with the best chance of seeing the Northern Lights.
According to the study, current levels of solar activity are the highest they’ve been in two decades, making the peak sometime between 2024 and 2025.
The closest to the North Pole, Yellowknife in NT is the city with the best chance of viewing the Northern Lights this year, followed by Cold Lake and Fort McMurray in Alberta, and Whitehorse in Yukon.
As for the city that’s least likely to see the natural wonder up close, St. John’s in NL has the lowest visibility and low hours of clear skies.
Here are the top 5 Canadian cities to increase your odds of seeing the Northern Lights:
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The study also found that Yorkton in Saskatchewan, Thompson in Manitoba and Kenora in Ontario were the top three cities to have the highest hours of clear skies, which is crucial for witnessing the Northern Lights.
As well, Cranbrook ranked the best for visibility in BC, whereas Gander in Newfoundland and Labrador, Baie-Comeau in Québec, and Cold Lake in Alberta ranked the highest for the least light pollution.
Here are the cities in each province that are most likely to see the Northern Lights:
Ready to catch the Northern Lights in action this year? There’s still time to book a trip to one of these cities this winter, which is when the aurora borealis will be most active. To further increase your chances, the best time for catching a glimpse is between 10 pm and 2 am, according to the study.
So there you have it, Canada! 2024 may very well be the year you get to cross off this spectacular phenomenon from your bucket list.
