Using data from Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS), a statistical study was performed to determine whether a dawn‐dusk asymmetry exists in the occurrence rates of the Kelvin‐Helmholtz instability during Parker‐Spiral (PS) and Ortho‐Parker‐Spiral (OPS) orientations of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). It is determined from the data that there is a strong preference toward the dawnside during PS orientation, and although a preference to the duskside during OPS is suggested, this requires further study for an unambiguous confirmation. The uncertainty in the OPS result is due to a low number of events, which satisfied our selection criteria. Because IMF is statistically in PS orientation, the Kelvin‐Helmholtz instability (KHI) preference for the dawn flank during this orientation may help explain the origin of the plasma sheet asymmetry of cold component ions because it has been shown that KHI can drive kinetic‐scale wave activity capable of ion heating.
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