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Magnetic · Storms

Magnetic storms in Gansu

Magnetic storms in Gansu, China. Current Kp index, 3-day storm forecast, list of cities and geomagnetic activity.

Cities in region6/6

3.0QUIET
Geomagnetic conditions over Gansu right now
Quiet

An aurora visible over Gansu requires Kp ≥ 9 — current activity is below that level.

Numbers for Gansu

Cities
6
Population
8.4 M
Time zone
UTC+8
Latitude category
Low latitudes
Northernmost city
Zhangye
38.9° N
Southernmost city
Tianshui
34.6° N
Geomagnetic latitude
25.2° → 29.6°
average 27.1°
Nearest observatory
Irkutsk (Patrony)
1758 km from centre

Aurora forecast over Gansu

Current Kp
3.0
Minimum Kp for aurora
9
for latitude 27.1° (mean)
Right now
— no
Best season: September – March

Cities of Gansu — sensitivity table

Minimum Kp shown for a realistic chance of seeing an aurora. The lower the number, the more noticeable storms are in the city.

CityPopulationGeomagnetic latitudeKp thresholdSensitivity
Lanzhou3,000,00026.7°9Low latitudes
Qingyang2,125,40026.4°9Low latitudes
Tianshui1,212,79125.2°9Low latitudes
Wuwei1,010,29528.6°9Low latitudes
Zhangye507,43329.6°9Low latitudes
Pingliang504,84826.2°9Low latitudes

FAQ about magnetic storms in Gansu

Are auroras visible in Gansu?+

Almost never. Gansu lies at low geomagnetic latitudes (≈ 27.1°). Visible auroras are possible only during extreme events (Kp ≥ 9) that occur once in several years.

How do magnetic storms affect residents of Gansu?+

At Kp ≥ 5 weather-sensitive people may experience blood pressure swings, headaches, sleep disturbances. Effects are moderate due to low geomagnetic latitude. However, strong G3+ storms can cause noticeable discomfort even here.

What Kp is needed to see an aurora in Gansu?+

By our estimate — Kp ≥ 9 (based on the regional mean of 27.1° geomagnetic latitude). The threshold is lower in the north of the region and higher in the south. For a specific city, open its page and check the «Aurora visibility threshold» section.

Where is the best place to watch auroras in Gansu?+

Best conditions are at the northernmost city in our database (Zhangye, 38.9° N). The further north, the higher the geomagnetic latitude and the more frequent the auroras. Also important: clear sky, no city light pollution, and observation around local midnight.

What is the nearest magnetic observatory?+

The nearest observatory is Irkutsk (Patrony), at 1758 km from the centre of Gansu. It belongs to the INTERMAGNET network and records the geomagnetic field in real time.

About magnetic storms: Gansu

Magnetic storms in Gansu (China) today: planetary Kp = 3.0 (quiet). The database holds 6 cities in the region with live geomagnetic data and forecasts.

Pick a city from the list to see detailed information: local time, geomagnetic latitude, distance to the nearest magnetic observatory, 3-day Kp chart with forecast and aurora visibility chance. All cities in Gansu use the same planetary Kp, but the local impact is computed individually per coordinates.

How a magnetic storm may manifest in Gansu: at Kp ≥ 5, weather-sensitive people can have headaches, blood-pressure swings, sleep disruption. At Kp ≥ 7, GPS navigation and shortwave radio may glitch. At Kp ≥ 8 — power-grid issues. Data from NOAA SWPC, updated every 10 minutes.

Inside Gansu, geomagnetic latitude varies from 25.2° to 29.6°, with a mean of 27.1°. The northernmost city, Zhangye, gets aurora visibility opportunities first when Kp climbs; the 4.4° south-to-north spread is enough to put neighbouring cities into very different storm-response groups.

The nearest magnetic observatory tracking conditions over Gansu is Irkutsk (Patrony). Combined with the planetary Kp index from NOAA SWPC, this station gives the closest reference point for how the local magnetic field behaves during storms in this part of China.

Magnetic storms in Gansu · Magnetic Storms