Being able to see the Aurora depends mainly on two factors:

• Geomagnetic Activity: The geomagnetic activity (the degree of disturbance of the earth's magnetic field at the time) must be at "storm" levels ( Kp of 5 or greater). You can check the Space Weather Prediction Center's bar plot of Estimated Planetary Kp.
• The aurora is easily visible even when its boundary is 4 or 5 degrees poleward of your location. You can see if you are within range by visiting the Tips on Viewing the Aurora page and using the interactive chart or by visiting the Ovation Aurora Forecast page.

Further considerations are the weather at your location, and light pollution from city lights, full moon and so forth.

Again, the aurora borealis is our signal that geomagnetically-induced currents (GICs) are occurring. Watch the movie below to learn more about the aurora.

The University of Alaska Fairbanks: Geophysical Institute is another good resource for aurora enthusiasts.