Here’s the harsh truth: you can have the solar flare of the century, but if it’s cloudy, you’re staring at a gray blanket. Clouds are the Aurora’s arch-nemesis. Check your local forecast. If it’s “mostly cloudy” or “rain likely,” pour one out.
You need a crystal-clear sky. Think: “I can see every single star, and maybe a satellite doing its little crawl.” If you’re in a city with light pollution, puff. The glow gets washed out. So step outside, look up. Can you see the Milky Way? No? Then the lights are playing hard to get tonight.
