What a Night! My Tour Report from January 19, 2026

I've been guiding aurora tours in Yellowknife for years now, and last night? Last night was something special. I still can't stop thinking about it.

We had a G4 (Severe) Geomagnetic Storm roll in after an X1.9-class solar flare, and let me tell you—the Northern Lights absolutely delivered.

The Early Call That Paid Off

Here's the thing about being a tour guide up here: you learn to read the sky. When I checked the forecast earlier in the day, I saw cloud coverage threatening to move in. So I made a call—we'd leave the city a bit earlier than planned.

I gathered everyone and said, "Look, clouds might come in sooner than expected. If we head out now, we'll have a better shot at clear skies." Every single guest was on board. No complaints, just excitement. I love when a group trusts the process like that.

And boy, did it pay off.

8:45 PM - The Show Begins

We got to our viewing spot just in time. At 8:45 PM, the sky started to come alive. Green curtains first, then the pinks started bleeding through. By 9:30, we had full-on purple and magenta mixed in—colors so vivid you didn't even need a camera to appreciate them.

I've seen a lot of auroras in my time, but this was different. The KP index hit 9-, and we also had an S4 Solar Radiation Storm—the first one that strong since 2003! People across Scotland, Ireland, and even Northern California were seeing the lights. But here in Yellowknife? We were right under it. The aurora wasn't on the horizon—it was dancing directly over our heads.

Yunhee's First Night

One of my guests last night was Yunhee. She'd been planning this trip to Yellowknife for a while—saving up, researching, dreaming about it. She arrived in town just that morning.

Her first night. Her very first night, and she gets THIS.

I watched her face when the colors really started going. Her eyes were shining with joy. She turned to me and said, "I've dreamed of seeing the Northern Lights my whole life. I never imagined my first night would be THIS spectacular!"

Moments like that? That's why I do this job.

We Wrapped Up at 10:20 PM

By 10:20, the clouds I'd been worried about started creeping in. But it didn't matter—we'd already gotten an hour and a half of the best aurora show of the season. Everyone was glowing (pun intended) on the bus ride back.

Why I Love Guiding in Yellowknife

We sit right under the Auroral Oval here. That means when big storms like last night's G4 hit, we don't just get a glimpse of the aurora on the horizon—we get it overhead, all around us, in every direction. It's immersive in a way that's hard to describe until you experience it.

What's Next?

NOAA says we might have KP 7+ conditions through Tuesday. If you're in the area, get outside tonight! Find a dark spot, face north, and keep your phone ready. Even if the colors seem faint to your eyes, night mode on your smartphone can pick up the full spectrum.

Nights like January 19, 2026 remind me why I fell in love with this work. There's nothing like sharing these moments with people who've traveled from around the world to chase the lights.

Want to experience it for yourself? Book a tour with us and let me show you what Yellowknife nights are all about. Who knows—maybe your first night will be as magical as Yunhee's was.

See you under the lights! ✨

What a Night! My Tour Report from January 19, 2026