Trip Planning


FAQ

Can you see Aurora Borealis when the sky is cloudy?

It’s possible to see the Northern Lights through a few scattered clouds, but if there are too many, the view might be blocked completely.

The AuroraCentre is located perfectly in the most 'dry' region of the Yukon which results in less cloud coverage then any other location. Typically we only see 1-3% completely cloudy night sky at the AuroraCentre throughout the year.
Even if the sky is cloudy, rainy or if snow is falling during the day we will always start our Aurora Viewing tour as scheduled to ensure our guest don't miss an opportunity to see the Aurora Borealis when the clouds break (which they most often do!). Typically the weather changes around midnight in the Yukon and even a cloudy evening can turn into a clear night.

The Aurora Borealis is a natural phenomenon and relies on the level of aurora activity and weather conditions. We provide one of the best locations to enjoy the Aurora Borealis with the comfort of heated a cabin, yurts and teepees, with the company of knowledgeable tour guides.
Since the level of aurora activity and weather conditions is out of our control, unfortunately, we can't offer refunds or re-bookings.

Should I wear rental winter gear for every tour?

It is not mandatory, but we recommend it. December to April, the temperature drop to around -20 to -25℃, so our winter gear helps you to enjoy any tour comfortably and safe. We strongly recommend to wear our rental winter gear during snow shoeing, ice fishing, and Aurora Viewing tours.

Why are auroras so colourful?

The colours of the aurora are determined by the composition of gases in the Earth's atmosphere, the altitude at which the aurora occurs, the density of the atmosphere, and the level of energy involved.

Green, the most common colour seen from the ground, is produced when charged particles collide with oxygen at lower altitudes (around 100-300 km). Occasionally, the lower edge of an aurora will have a pink or crimson fringe, which is produced by nitrogen molecules (around 100 km).

Higher in the atmosphere (300-400 km), collisions with atomic oxygen produce reds instead of greens. Since the atmosphere is less dense at higher altitudes, it takes more energy and more time to produce red light (up to two minutes), whereas green light can be made quickly at lower altitudes (about one second).

Hydrogen and helium can also produce blue and purple, but those colours tend to be difficult for our eyes to see against the night sky.

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Three Day - Aurora Weather Forecast

Whitehorse (Canada)

Rental Clothing

Northern Lights Package

Farwest Insulated Parka
Dri Zone Insulated Pants
-15º Celcius Winter Boots
Mitts
Toque

Arctic Winter Package

Farwest Double Insulated Parka
Dri Zone Insulated Pants
-40º Celcius Winter Boots
Mitts
Toque

Yukon Climate

Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 10.0
(50)		 11.7
(53.1)		 16.8
(62.2)		 21.8
(71.2)		 34.1
(93.4)		 34.4
(93.9)		 33.2
(91.8)		 31.6
(88.9)		 26.7
(80.1)		 19.3
(66.7)		 13.3
(55.9)		 10.6
(51.1)		 34.4
(93.9)
Average high °C (°F) −11.0
(12.2)		 −7.7
(18.1)		 −0.7
(30.7)		 6.6
(43.9)		 13.5
(56.3)		 19.1
(66.4)		 20.6
(69.1)		 18.5
(65.3)		 12.1
(53.8)		 4.2
(39.6)		 −6.0
(21.2)		 −8.5
(16.7)		 5.1
(41.2)
Daily mean °C (°F) −15.2
(4.6)		 −12.7
(9.1)		 −6.3
(20.7)		 1.0
(33.8)		 7.3
(45.1)		 12.3
(54.1)		 14.3
(57.7)		 12.6
(54.7)		 7.2
(45)		 0.5
(32.9)		 −9.4
(15.1)		 −12.5
(9.5)		 −0.1
(31.8)
Average low °C (°F) −19.2
(−2.6)		 −17.6
(0.3)		 −11.9
(10.6)		 −4.6
(23.7)		 1.0
(33.8)		 5.6
(42.1)		 8.0
(46.4)		 6.7
(44.1)		 2.1
(35.8)		 −3.2
(26.2)		 −12.9
(8.8)		 −16.5
(2.3)		 −5.2
(22.6)
Record low °C (°F) −56.1
(−69)		 −51.1
(−60)		 −42.2
(−44)		 −30.6
(−23.1)		 −12.9
(8.8)		 −6.1
(21)		 −2.2
(28)		 −8.3
(17.1)		 −19.4
(−2.9)		 −31.1
(−24)		 −47.2
(−53)		 −48.3
(−54.9)		 −56.1
(−69)
Average mm (inches) 17.8
(0.701)		 11.8
(0.465)		 10.3
(0.406)		 7.0
(0.276)		 16.3
(0.642)		 32.4
(1.276)		 38.1
(1.5)		 35.8
(1.409)		 33.3
(1.311)		 23.2
(0.913)		 20.1
(0.791)		 16.3
(0.642)		 262.3
(10.327)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 0.3
(0.012)		 0.0
(0)		 0.0
(0)		 1.2
(0.047)		 14.3
(0.563)		 32.4
(1.276)		 38.1
(1.5)		 35.5
(1.398)		 29.0
(1.142)		 8.8
(0.346)		 1.0
(0.039)		 0.4
(0.016)		 160.9
(6.335)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 25.4
(10)		 18.3
(7.2)		 14.8
(5.83)		 7.2
(2.83)		 2.0
(0.79)		 0.0
(0)		 0.0
(0)		 0.3
(0.12)		 4.7
(1.85)		 18.6
(7.32)		 27.0
(10.63)		 23.5
(9.25)		 141.8
(55.83)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) 11.2 8.3 6.4 4.4 8.0 10.9 13.5 12.5 11.9 11.5 11.5 11.2 121.2
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) 0.2 0.1 0.1 1.1 7.5 10.9 13.5 12.4 11.0 5.1 0.8 0.3 62.9
Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) 11.9 9.1 7.0 3.8 1.2 0.0 0.0 0.3 1.5 7.9 12.4 12.2 67.4
Average relative humidity (%) 72.2 64.5 51.8 42.1 38.2 39.9 46.0 47.9 54.5 64.2 75.2 74.7 55.9
Mean monthly sunshine hours 43.8 105.5 163.2 238.5 251.1 266.7 247.6 226.5 132.7 84.9 39.8 26.8 1,827.1
Percent possible sunshine 21.4 41.6 44.8 54.4 46.8 46.9 43.8 46.4 34.1 27.0 17.8 14.9 36.7