NOAA forecasts Kp 5.67 from 00:00–03:00 UTC on October 11. Lerwick and Scalloway on Shetland, plus Stromness and Kirkwall on Orkney, have the corresponding 01:00–04:00 BST window. Check darkness, clouds and the live forecast for your location before making plans.
City forecast — 2026-10-11
| Country | City | Forecast window | Visibility call | Cloud risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Scotland | Lerwick (Shetland) | Oct 11, 01:00–04:00 BST (Kp 5.67) | WATCH | Check live cloud layer |
| Northern Scotland | Scalloway (Shetland) | Oct 11, 01:00–04:00 BST (Kp 5.67) | WATCH | Check live cloud layer |
| Northern Scotland | Stromness (Orkney) | Oct 11, 01:00–04:00 BST (Kp 5.67) | WATCH | Check live cloud layer |
| Northern Scotland | Kirkwall (Orkney) | Oct 11, 01:00–04:00 BST (Kp 5.67) | WATCH | Check live cloud layer |
Countries and cities in the aurora zone
Northern Scotland
- Forecast window
- Oct 11, 01:00–04:00 BST (Kp 5.67)
- Move
- Use the three-hour local window for the place where you are staying. Check cloud, darkness and the live city forecast before travelling.
Shetland and Orkney share a 01:00–04:00 BST forecast window.
NOAA forecasts Kp 5.67 for 00:00–03:00 UTC on October 11. This forecast is separate from the global Kp 7 (G3) observed at 15:00 UTC on October 10.
Lerwick, Scalloway, Stromness and Kirkwall are all on 01:00–04:00 BST. Local cloud and darkness determine whether an aurora can be seen.
What to do — 2026-10-11
Check the live forecast for your Shetland or Orkney location before 01:00 BST.
Check cloud cover and darkness again shortly before the local window.
Choose a dark place with an open northern horizon if conditions allow.
Sources and live checks
This brief uses NOAA's planetary K-index forecast JSON feed retrieved October 10 at 19:03 UTC and AuroraMe's city snapshot from 19:02 UTC. The Oct 11 Kp 5.67 value is a forecast; the feed's Oct 10 15:00 UTC Kp 7 (G3) value is an earlier global observation.