Photo: Ximonic (Simo Räsänen), CC BY-SA 4.0
Aurora tonight across the Nordics
10 in Finland, 8 in Norway, 4 in Sweden and 4 in Iceland: 26 places, each answered from the same four inputs: how disturbed the magnetic field is, how much cloud is forecast over the dark hours, when it actually gets dark, and where the moon is. Every number below says when it was read.
Best places to see the northern lights Every place ranked by tonight's chance, and how they compare through the season. Northern lights in Finland: when and where to go Planning a trip rather than tonight? The season at each latitude, which places give the best odds, how to read Kp and the cloud forecast, and the camera settings that work.Northern lights this week
NOAA's outlook for the next seven days peaks at Kp 5 on Tue Nov 17.
This is NOAA's 27-day outlook, a planning guide issued Nov 9. It gives the largest Kp of each day, not tonight's sky; tonight's verdict uses the live readings and the cloud forecast.
Right now, everywhere
- Kp index
- 0.67 — estimated, one-minute cadence NOAA SWPC,
- Forecast tonight
- Kp 1.33 from 11:00 Finnish timeKp 1.33 from 14:00 Finnish timeKp 1.67 from 17:00 Finnish timeKp 1.67 from 20:00 Finnish timeKp 1.33 from 23:00 Finnish timeKp 1.67 from 02:00 Finnish timeNOAA SWPC three-day forecast, issued
- Magnetometers
- 9 FMI stations reporting, from Hankasalmi to Kevo FMI,
Where the chance is best tonight
| # | Place | Tonight | Dark, local time | Clearest hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Svalbard Norway | Possible Kp 0.67 | 17:48–05:40 | 0% |
| 2 | North Cape Norway | Possible Kp 0.67 | 17:12–04:52 | 0% |
| 3 | Alta Norway | Possible Kp 0.67 | 17:24–05:02 | 0% |
| 4 | Kilpisjärvi Lapland | Possible Kp 0.67 | 18:34–06:10 | 3% |
| 5 | Tromsø Norway | Possible Kp 0.67 | 17:42–05:18 | 7% |
| 6 | Utsjoki Lapland | Possible Kp 0.67 | 18:10–05:46 | 13% |
| 7 | Senja Norway | Possible Kp 0.67 | 17:46–05:22 | 14% |
| 8 | Kirkenes Norway | Possible Kp 0.67 | 16:58–04:34 | 29% |
| 9 | Lofoten Norway | Unlikely quiet field, Kp 0.67 | 18:00–05:34 | 1% |
| 10 | Narvik Norway | Unlikely quiet field, Kp 0.67 | 17:48–05:24 | 5% |
| 11 | Abisko Sweden | Unlikely quiet field, Kp 0.67 | 17:44–05:18 | 16% |
| 12 | Vík Iceland | Unlikely quiet field, Kp 0.67 | 19:18–06:46 | 26% |
| 13 | Reykjavík Iceland | Unlikely quiet field, Kp 0.67 | 19:30–06:58 | 43% |
| 14 | Jokkmokk Sweden | Unlikely quiet field, Kp 0.67 | 17:40–05:12 | 50% |
| 15 | Helsinki Uusimaa | Unlikely quiet field, Kp 0.67 | 18:24–05:48 | 69% |
| 16 | Kiruna Sweden | Clouded out 78% cloud at best | 17:38–05:12 | 78% |
| 17 | Þingvellir Iceland | Clouded out 79% cloud at best | 19:26–06:54 | 79% |
| 18 | Akureyri Iceland | Clouded out 80% cloud at best | 19:12–06:44 | 80% |
| 19 | Luleå Sweden | Clouded out 98% cloud at best | 17:32–05:02 | 98% |
| 20 | Inari Lapland | Clouded out 100% cloud at best | 18:10–05:46 | 100% |
| 21 | Saariselkä and Ivalo Lapland | Clouded out 100% cloud at best | 18:08–05:44 | 100% |
| 22 | Levi Lapland | Clouded out 100% cloud at best | 18:20–05:54 | 100% |
| 23 | Ylläs Lapland | Clouded out 100% cloud at best | 18:22–05:56 | 100% |
| 24 | Pyhä Lapland | Clouded out 100% cloud at best | 18:10–05:44 | 100% |
| 25 | Rovaniemi Lapland | Clouded out 100% cloud at best | 18:18–05:48 | 100% |
| 26 | Ruka Northern Ostrobothnia | Clouded out 100% cloud at best | 18:04–05:34 | 100% |
Checked against NOAA SWPC, FMI and MET Norway. Ranked by tonight's verdict at each place, then by the clearest hour of its dark window. Each place's page has the evidence and an alert for that place.
Aurora forecast for the next three nights
| Place | Kp needed | TonightFri 13 Nov | Saturday nightSat 14 Nov | Sunday nightSun 15 Nov |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SvalbardNorwayneeds any Kp | any Kp | PossibleKp 1.67, cloud 0% | PossibleKp 1.67, cloud 0% | PossibleKp 1.67 until 01:00 |
| North CapeNorwayneeds any Kp | any Kp | PossibleKp 1.67, cloud 0% | Clouded outKp 1.67, cloud 91% | PossibleKp 1.67 until 01:00 |
| AltaNorwayneeds any Kp | any Kp | PossibleKp 1.67, cloud 0% | PossibleKp 1.67, cloud 62% | PossibleKp 1.67 until 01:00 |
| UtsjokiLaplandneeds any Kp | any Kp | PossibleKp 1.67, cloud 13% | PossibleKp 1.67, cloud 1% | PossibleKp 1.67 until 02:00 |
| KirkenesNorwayneeds any Kp | any Kp | PossibleKp 1.67, cloud 29% | PossibleKp 1.67, cloud 54% | PossibleKp 1.67 until 01:00 |
| TromsøNorwayneeds any Kp | any Kp | PossibleKp 1.67, cloud 7% | PossibleKp 1.67, cloud 0% | PossibleKp 1.67 until 01:00 |
| SenjaNorwayneeds any Kp | any Kp | PossibleKp 1.67, cloud 14% | PossibleKp 1.67, cloud 0% | PossibleKp 1.67 until 01:00 |
| KilpisjärviLaplandneeds any Kp | any Kp | PossibleKp 1.67, cloud 3% | PossibleKp 1.67, cloud 0% | PossibleKp 1.67 until 02:00 |
| InariLaplandneeds Kp 1 | Kp 1 | Clouded outKp 1.67, cloud 100% | PossibleKp 1.67, cloud 1% | PossibleKp 1.67 until 02:00 |
| NarvikNorwayneeds Kp 1 | Kp 1 | UnlikelyKp 1.67, cloud 5% | PossibleKp 1.67, cloud 0% | PossibleKp 1.67 until 01:00 |
| Saariselkä and IvaloLaplandneeds Kp 1 | Kp 1 | Clouded outKp 1.67, cloud 100% | PossibleKp 1.67, cloud 4% | PossibleKp 1.67 until 02:00 |
| AbiskoSwedenneeds Kp 1 | Kp 1 | UnlikelyKp 1.67, cloud 16% | PossibleKp 1.67, cloud 0% | PossibleKp 1.67 until 01:00 |
| LofotenNorwayneeds Kp 1 | Kp 1 | UnlikelyKp 1.67, cloud 1% | Clouded outKp 1.67, cloud 90% | PossibleKp 1.67 until 01:00 |
| KirunaSwedenneeds Kp 1 | Kp 1 | Clouded outKp 1.67, cloud 78% | PossibleKp 1.67, cloud 1% | PossibleKp 1.67 until 01:00 |
| LeviLaplandneeds Kp 1 | Kp 1 | Clouded outKp 1.67, cloud 100% | PossibleKp 1.67, cloud 0% | PossibleKp 1.67 until 02:00 |
| YlläsLaplandneeds Kp 1 | Kp 1 | Clouded outKp 1.67, cloud 100% | PossibleKp 1.67, cloud 0% | PossibleKp 1.67 until 02:00 |
| PyhäLaplandneeds Kp 2 | Kp 2 | Clouded outKp 1.67, cloud 100% | UnlikelyKp 1.67, cloud 0% | UnlikelyKp 1.67 until 02:00 |
| JokkmokkSwedenneeds Kp 2 | Kp 2 | UnlikelyKp 1.67, cloud 50% | UnlikelyKp 1.67, cloud 0% | UnlikelyKp 1.67 until 01:00 |
| RovaniemiLaplandneeds Kp 2 | Kp 2 | Clouded outKp 1.67, cloud 100% | UnlikelyKp 1.67, cloud 0% | UnlikelyKp 1.67 until 02:00 |
| RukaNorthern Ostrobothnianeeds Kp 2 | Kp 2 | Clouded outKp 1.67, cloud 100% | UnlikelyKp 1.67, cloud 10% | UnlikelyKp 1.67 until 02:00 |
| AkureyriIcelandneeds Kp 2 | Kp 2 | Clouded outKp 1.67, cloud 80% | Clouded outKp 1.67, cloud 76% | Not knownnot forecast yet |
| LuleåSwedenneeds Kp 3 | Kp 3 | Clouded outKp 1.67, cloud 98% | UnlikelyKp 1.67, cloud 0% | UnlikelyKp 1.67 until 01:00 |
| ÞingvellirIcelandneeds Kp 2 | Kp 2 | Clouded outKp 1.67, cloud 79% | UnlikelyKp 1.67, cloud 1% | Not knownnot forecast yet |
| ReykjavíkIcelandneeds Kp 2 | Kp 2 | UnlikelyKp 1.67, cloud 43% | UnlikelyKp 1.67, cloud 2% | Not knownnot forecast yet |
| VíkIcelandneeds Kp 2 | Kp 2 | UnlikelyKp 1.67, cloud 26% | UnlikelyKp 1.67, cloud 1% | Not knownnot forecast yet |
| HelsinkiUusimaaneeds Kp 6 | Kp 6 | UnlikelyKp 1.67, cloud 69% | UnlikelyKp 1.67, cloud 0% | UnlikelyKp 1.67 until 02:00 |
Checked . Kp from the NOAA SWPC three-day forecast, issued ; cloud from FMI's HARMONIE model in Finland and MET Norway's Locationforecast elsewhere. Tonight's column is each place's live verdict; the nights after rest on the forecasts alone.
Where can you see the northern lights tonight?
The 26 places by country, north to south. Each verdict checked , against NOAA SWPC, FMI and MET Norway.
Finland: Utsjoki, Kilpisjärvi, Inari, Saariselkä and Ivalo, Levi, Ylläs, Pyhä, Rovaniemi, Ruka and Helsinki
-
Utsjoki
Possible after 18:10 — the field is quiet (Kp 0.67), but at 70°N a quiet night is often enough.
69.9°N · dark 18:10–05:46 · 13% cloud at best
-
Kilpisjärvi
Possible after 18:34 — the field is quiet (Kp 0.67), but at 69°N a quiet night is often enough.
69.0°N · dark 18:34–06:10 · 3% cloud at best
-
Inari
Clouded out — 100% cloud at best between 18:10 and 05:46.
68.9°N · dark 18:10–05:46 · 100% cloud at best
-
Saariselkä and Ivalo
Clouded out — 100% cloud at best between 18:08 and 05:44.
68.4°N · dark 18:08–05:44 · 100% cloud at best
-
Levi
Clouded out — 100% cloud at best between 18:20 and 05:54.
67.8°N · dark 18:20–05:54 · 100% cloud at best
-
Ylläs
Clouded out — 100% cloud at best between 18:22 and 05:56.
67.6°N · dark 18:22–05:56 · 100% cloud at best
-
Pyhä
Clouded out — 100% cloud at best between 18:10 and 05:44.
67.0°N · dark 18:10–05:44 · 100% cloud at best
-
Rovaniemi
Clouded out — 100% cloud at best between 18:18 and 05:48.
66.5°N · dark 18:18–05:48 · 100% cloud at best
-
Ruka
Clouded out — 100% cloud at best between 18:04 and 05:34.
66.2°N · dark 18:04–05:34 · 100% cloud at best
-
Helsinki
Unlikely tonight — dark from 18:24 and there are breaks in the cloud, but the field is quiet (Kp 0.67).
60.2°N · dark 18:24–05:48 · 69% cloud at best
Norway: Svalbard, North Cape, Alta, Kirkenes, Tromsø, Senja, Narvik and Lofoten
The same verdict, with the cloud from MET Norway's Locationforecast.
-
Svalbard
Possible after 17:48 — Kp 0.67, and Svalbard is just north of the main auroral oval, so a higher Kp would not raise the chance.
78.2°N · dark 17:48–05:40 · 0% cloud at best
-
North Cape
Possible after 17:12 — the field is quiet (Kp 0.67), but at 71°N a quiet night is often enough.
71.0°N · dark 17:12–04:52 · 0% cloud at best
-
Alta
Possible after 17:24 — the field is quiet (Kp 0.67), but at 70°N a quiet night is often enough. FMI's Masi magnetometer has no current reading, so the local reading is from Kilpisjärvi, 140 km away.
70.0°N · dark 17:24–05:02 · 0% cloud at best
-
Kirkenes
Possible after 16:58 — the field is quiet (Kp 0.67), but at 70°N a quiet night is often enough.
69.7°N · dark 16:58–04:34 · 29% cloud at best
-
Tromsø
Possible after 17:42 — the field is quiet (Kp 0.67), but at 70°N a quiet night is often enough.
69.6°N · dark 17:42–05:18 · 7% cloud at best
-
Senja
Possible after 17:46 — the field is quiet (Kp 0.67), but at 69°N a quiet night is often enough.
69.2°N · dark 17:46–05:22 · 14% cloud at best
-
Narvik
Unlikely tonight — dark from 17:48 and the sky is clear, but the field is quiet (Kp 0.67).
68.4°N · dark 17:48–05:24 · 5% cloud at best
-
Lofoten
Unlikely tonight — dark from 18:00 and the sky is clear, but the field is quiet (Kp 0.67).
68.2°N · dark 18:00–05:34 · 1% cloud at best
Sweden: Abisko, Kiruna, Jokkmokk and Luleå
The same verdict, with the cloud from MET Norway's Locationforecast.
-
Abisko
Unlikely tonight — dark from 17:44 and the sky is clear, but the field is quiet (Kp 0.67).
68.3°N · dark 17:44–05:18 · 16% cloud at best
-
Kiruna
Clouded out — 78% cloud at best between 17:38 and 05:12.
67.9°N · dark 17:38–05:12 · 78% cloud at best
-
Jokkmokk
Unlikely tonight — dark from 17:40 and there are breaks in the cloud, but the field is quiet (Kp 0.67).
66.6°N · dark 17:40–05:12 · 50% cloud at best
-
Luleå
Clouded out — 98% cloud at best between 17:32 and 05:02.
65.6°N · dark 17:32–05:02 · 98% cloud at best
Iceland: Akureyri, Þingvellir, Reykjavík and Vík
The same verdict, with the cloud from MET Norway's Locationforecast.
-
Akureyri
Clouded out — 80% cloud at best between 19:12 and 06:44.
65.7°N · dark 19:12–06:44 · 80% cloud at best
-
Þingvellir
Clouded out — 79% cloud at best between 19:26 and 06:54.
64.3°N · dark 19:26–06:54 · 79% cloud at best
-
Reykjavík
Unlikely tonight — dark from 19:30 and there are breaks in the cloud, but the field is quiet (Kp 0.67).
64.1°N · dark 19:30–06:58 · 43% cloud at best
-
Vík
Unlikely tonight — dark from 19:18 and the sky is clear, but the field is quiet (Kp 0.67).
63.4°N · dark 19:18–06:46 · 26% cloud at best
How the verdict is worked out
Four inputs, in the order they can rule the night out.
- Darkness. Computed here from the date and the coordinates, with no external data needed, so it never fails and never disagrees with the band above it. The aurora needs the sun more than 18° below the horizon. In Lapland that condition does not exist between late May and early August at all, which is why a page can say "too light" in July with total confidence.
- Cloud. FMI's HARMONIE model in Finland and MET Norway's Locationforecast in Norway, Sweden and Iceland, hourly, at each place's exact coordinates rather than at the nearest town. We take the best hour inside the dark window, because one clear hour is enough and an average is not.
- Geomagnetic activity. The NOAA Kp index and the OVATION overhead probability, plus the rate of change of the horizontal magnetic field at the nearest FMI magnetometer, if one is within 120 km. The last of those is the local one, and the one most aurora forecasts leave out. Svalbard, North Cape, Narvik, Lofoten, Kiruna, Pyhä, Jokkmokk, Ruka, Akureyri, Luleå, Þingvellir, Reykjavík, Vík and Helsinki have none that close in FMI's open data, so their verdicts rest on Kp and OVATION.
- The moon. Phase, illuminated fraction and altitude at the start of the dark window. A bright moon does not stop the aurora, it removes the faint end of it, so it is a caveat on the verdict rather than part of it.
When a feed does not answer, the page keeps the last reading and its real age, and says how old it is. When there is nothing to keep, the verdict says we could not check — it does not fall back to "clear skies". A page here with no answer is never a green one.