Magnetic storms in Canary Islands
Magnetic storms in Canary Islands, Spain. Current Kp index, 3-day storm forecast, list of cities and geomagnetic activity.
Cities in region4/4
An aurora visible over Canary Islands requires Kp ≥ 9 — current activity is below that level.
Numbers for Canary Islands
Aurora forecast over Canary Islands
Cities of Canary Islands — 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.
| City | Population | Geomagnetic latitude | Kp threshold | Sensitivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Las Palmas de Gran Canaria | 383,516 | 32.8° | ≥ 9 | Low latitudes |
| Santa Cruz de Tenerife | 211,359 | 33.3° | ≥ 9 | Low latitudes |
| La Laguna | 150,661 | 33.3° | ≥ 9 | Low latitudes |
| Telde | 123,265 | 32.7° | ≥ 9 | Low latitudes |
FAQ about magnetic storms in Canary Islands
Are auroras visible in Canary Islands?+
Almost never. Canary Islands lies at low geomagnetic latitudes (≈ 33.1°). Visible auroras are possible only during extreme events (Kp ≥ 9) that occur once in several years.
How do magnetic storms affect residents of Canary Islands?+
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 Canary Islands?+
By our estimate — Kp ≥ 9 (based on the regional mean of 33.1° 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 Canary Islands?+
Best conditions are at the northernmost city in our database (La Laguna, 28.5° 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 Lviv, at 4107 km from the centre of Canary Islands. It belongs to the INTERMAGNET network and records the geomagnetic field in real time.
About magnetic storms: Canary Islands
Magnetic storms in Canary Islands (Spain) today: planetary Kp = 2.7 (quiet). The database holds 4 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 Canary Islands use the same planetary Kp, but the local impact is computed individually per coordinates.
How a magnetic storm may manifest in Canary Islands: 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 Canary Islands, geomagnetic latitude varies from 32.7° to 33.3°, with a mean of 33.1°. The northernmost city, La Laguna, gets aurora visibility opportunities first when Kp climbs; the 0.6° south-to-north spread is enough to put neighbouring cities into very different storm-response groups.
The nearest magnetic observatory tracking conditions over Canary Islands is Lviv. 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 Spain.