Northern Lights in Finland Tonight: Aurora Forecast & Viewing Guide
Finland's Lapland sits under the auroral oval, with a threshold as low as Kp 1.3 in the far north; Helsinki needs Kp 3.9. The season is long, and a clear sky matters more than the storm level.
Best chance in Finland tonight
Very high Saariselkä: very high, peak Kp 4.7, clouds 6%, best 11 PM – 3 AM EET.
3 of 5 locations have a chance tonight.
Tonight's aurora map of Finland
Live aurora map
Which city to fly to
Rovaniemi is the easiest base. It has an airport with direct flights from Helsinki and several European cities, a rail connection, and darkness within a short walk of the center. It sits a little south of the oval's strongest part, so the threshold is slightly higher than farther north, but the gateway is easy.
Ivalo has the airport for the far north and is the gateway to Inari and Saariselkä, where the aurora shows most often and the sky is darkest. Kittilä is the airport for Levi and western Lapland. Helsinki is the national gateway, not an aurora base; most visitors connect through it to Lapland.
Free app for iPhone and Android
Know when the sky is worth your time
The forecast on this page, watching your location all night and telling you when to step outside.
The oval and the clouds over your spot, refreshed through the night.
A push alert before the aurora reaches your sky.
The one hour tonight worth setting an alarm for.
Aurora destinations in Finland
Rovaniemi aurora forecast
Ivalo
Saariselkä
Levi, Kittilä
Helsinki
Live aurora status: Rovaniemi live forecast
What time to look tonight in Finland
Finland
11 PM – 3 AM EET
Saariselkä: very high
Best window of the best-placed location in each zone. Look north; the darker your horizon, the earlier you see it.
Aurora viewing guide for Finland
The aurora season in Finland runs from late August to early April. From May to July the sun barely sets in Lapland, and the sky is too bright. In midwinter the nights are long, and the polar night in the far north leaves only a dim twilight around midday. Many travelers prefer September to October or February to March, when days are longer and the cold is more manageable.
Lapland is the destination. Ivalo and Saariselkä in the far north sit nearest the oval, Levi in western Lapland is next, and Rovaniemi on the Arctic Circle is a little farther south. Helsinki is on the south coast and needs a strong storm.
Most of Finnish Lapland is forested, flat or rolling, with lakes and fells. Dark ground is everywhere; the question is cloud. Systems move through in bands, so give yourself several nights and drive to a clear patch if the sky is cloudy near your base.
Aurora nights by month
Average dark nights per month when Kp reached the local threshold, across 5 places, since 2015.
Most active months: Jan, Mar, Sep, Oct.
Plan your Finland aurora trip
Finland Aurora FAQ
When is the best time to see the northern lights in Finland?
Where in Finland can I see the northern lights?
How many nights should I plan for the northern lights in Finland?
Can I see the northern lights from major cities in Finland?
What Kp do I need to see the northern lights in Finland?
Can I see the northern lights in Finland tonight?
Learn more about the northern lights
How to See the Northern Lights: A Beginner's Guide
Three conditions decide whether you see the northern lights: activity at your latitude, a clear sky and darkness. Here is how to check each one.
Aurora Colors and What They Mean
Green, red, blue, purple and pink aurora explained: which gas makes each color, how high it glows, and why your camera shows more than your eyes.
Northern Lights in Canada: Best Places
The best places to see the northern lights in Canada: Yellowknife, Whitehorse, Churchill, Jasper and the prairies, plus what Ontario and Quebec get.
Northern Lights in Scotland
Where to see the northern lights in Scotland: north coast, islands, Cairngorms and dark sky parks, when the sky is dark enough, and how to beat cloud.
Northern Lights in Norway
Where to see the northern lights in Norway, which months work, why the coast and inland need different plans, and what Oslo gets in a storm.
Aurora Australis Forecast Guide
How to read a forecast for the southern lights: Kp, Bz, the southern oval, darkness, moon and cloud, plus where to look in Tasmania and southern Australia.
Kp index today
Live Kp, the 3-day and 27-day forecast, and what Kp each city needs.
Geomagnetic storm today
G-scale now, the storm outlook and how far south the aurora reaches.