Northern Lights in Iceland Tonight: Aurora Forecast & Viewing Guide
Iceland has aurora on most clear nights in the dark season, with a threshold from Kp 1.5 on the north coast to Kp 2.3 on the south coast. The deciding factor is not the storm but the cloud over your head.
Best chance in Iceland tonight
High Reykjavik: high, peak Kp 4.7, clouds 22%, best 10 PM – 2 AM GMT.
4 of 4 locations have a chance tonight.
Tonight's aurora map of Iceland
Live aurora map
Which city to fly to
Almost everyone arrives at Keflavík airport on the Reykjanes peninsula and bases themselves in Reykjavik. It is a short transfer from the airport, it has the most accommodation, and from there the Golden Circle, the south coast and the Reykjanes peninsula are all within reach. The city light is modest, and the nearest dark spots are minutes away.
Akureyri, the main town of the north, has its own domestic airport and often gets drier weather than the southwest. Höfn in the southeast and Vík on the south coast are not airport bases, but they are good stops on a ring-road trip, with long dark horizons and fewer lights. Plan a combination of locations if you have several nights.
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 Iceland
Reykjavik aurora forecast
Akureyri
Höfn
Vík
Live aurora status: Reykjavik live forecast
What time to look tonight in Iceland
Iceland
10 PM – 2 AM GMT
Reykjavik: 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 Iceland
The aurora season in Iceland runs from September to April. In late May to July the nights do not get dark enough for aurora. Winter days are short, with the sun up only a few hours around midwinter, so you have long hours of darkness to work with.
The whole island is under the oval, so the latitude difference between the north and the south coast matters less than the weather. Iceland's weather changes quickly, and the forecast can look very different from one end of the island to the other. The south coast is open to Atlantic systems; the north and east often get clearer breaks when the south is cloudy.
Most of Iceland is dark away from the towns, and the ring road makes it easy to drive toward clear sky. Roads can close in winter storms, so check road conditions as well as the cloud map before you set out.
Aurora nights by month
Average dark nights per month when Kp reached the local threshold, across 4 places, since 2015.
Most active months: Feb, Mar, Sep, Oct.
Plan your Iceland aurora trip
Iceland Aurora FAQ
When is the best time to see the northern lights in Iceland?
Where in Iceland can I see the northern lights?
How many nights should I plan for the northern lights in Iceland?
Can I see the northern lights from major cities in Iceland?
What Kp do I need to see the northern lights in Iceland?
Can I see the northern lights in Iceland 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.