Several magnetic observatories report and forecast geomagnetic activity responsible for producing the auroras occasionally seen in the skies over Door County. The Ottawa (OTT) Magnetic Observatory is the nearest station located within the same degrees of latitude as Door County. The Boulder Geomagnetic Observatory in Colorado is also relatively nearby, but it is located several degrees of latitude to the south.
Serious aurora-seeking tourists travel closer the poles; Door County is not a great place to look for auroras because it is too far south. Because of this, Door County is only considered part of the sub-auroral zone. Auroras in Door County can only be seen when the geomagnetic storms are particularly strong. Yet, if you are going to Door County anyway, why not look for auroras? And if you follow the forecasts and plan your travels around them, you might even witness a display of the sort photographed by members of the Auroras of Door County Facebook group.
Forecast resources
Forecast hourly ranges for Ottawa
Forecast classification chart for interpreting the results in the hourly ranges table (scroll down to Ottawa)
Current regional magnetic conditions for Eastern North America (from Space Weather Canada)
Magnetic summary plots – last 24 hours (from Space Weather Canada)
27 day magnetic activity forecast for Ottawa
Boulder Magnetometer
NOAA 30-minute forecast; this is also used for the left-hand panel at spaceweather.com
If you are unfamiliar with the charts, How to read a solar forecast from the The Royal Canadian Geographical Society can be a good resource.
More information about the Ottawa (OTT) and the Boulder (BOU) magnetic observatories are available from their websites. The INTERMAGNET website includes a map showing where these and other observatories are located.
Where to see auroras in Door County
Light pollution can obscure auroras. Light pollution is lower on the islands and in most places on the Lake Michigan side of the peninsula. And in the winter it may be possible to head out onto the ice. Great Lakes ice conditions are reported by the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory. If you are uncertain about light pollution, you can find the spot you have in mind on this astronaut photograph ISS030-E-183973, taken in 2012. If the area you have in mind is one of the bright spots, or is just south of one of the bright spots, consider trying another location instead.
On the Door Peninsula
If you are visiting further north, Newport State Park at 475 County Rd NP is a good place to see auroras because the area has little light pollution and the park has shoreline facing to the north. Unless you are camping, the park closes at 11 PM.
Yet the Mud Lake Wildlife Management Area to the south of Newport State Park does not have a nighttime closing period. The entire shoreline of the lake is within the WMA, including the southern part which offers an excellent view of the northern sky. Visitors may find that access through the woods to the shore of the lake is easier in the dead of winter when things are more frozen.
And just to the east of Mud Lake, the Baileys Harbor Boreal Forest And Wetlands Wisconsin State Natural Area also has no closing hour for the night. Most of it is open to the public. The SNA includes some north-facing shore along Lake Michigan. As with Mud Lake, camping is not allowed.
If you are visiting further south, light pollution is lower near Bay Shore County Park along Highway 57, with an address of 5637 Sturgeon Bay Rd. (Sturgeon Bay Road is Highway 57.) The park has a webcam on Youtube, and if it is functioning, you can use to check to see if the sky is cloudy before making the drive. Only registered campers are permitted in the park after dusk, so this park is only an option if you are camping.
Aurora Bay is a small bay which is part of Green Bay. If you want to look for auroras at Aurora Bay, take Lime Kiln Road north, turning off of Lime Kiln to onto Boni’s Place. Boni’s Place dead ends at Aurora Bay. The road right-of-way as it meets the bay is a small water-access site open to the public. It has a good view of the northern sky. There are many similar places in or near Door County where the road right-of-ways meet the water, offering an unobstructed view of the skies on cloudy nights. The locations for most of these sites, which have varying degrees of light pollution, are marked in Wisconsin's Great Lake Public Access Guide.
On islands
Washington Island, there are multiple road right-of ways listed in the Great Lake Public Access Guide.
On Rock Island, campsites 23 through 29 are in proximity to good views of the northeast shore. As with Newport State Park, the park closes at 11 PM for non-campers, and the Rock Island Ferry’s hours of operation also restrict the park’s access for non-campers.
Another good place to look for auroras along Green Bay is on Chambers Island. Although there is no ferry access, there is a dock open to the public, and there are tracts of land open to public access which are enrolled in the Wisconsin Managed Forest Land program. Some tracts are along the northern shores of Mackaysee Lake and Green Bay. There is no nighttime closing time for lands enrolled in the Wisconsin Managed Forest Land program.
