Aurora borealis

Best time to see the northern lights

The northern lights need a dark and clear sky. In the aurora zone the nights are dark enough from September to April; the most clear dark hours come from November to February.

Aurora seasonSep – Aprdark enough at night

Best monthsNov – Febmost clear dark hours

Aurora zone27seen on most clear nights

Places401within reach of the aurora

When is it dark enough?

Hours per night with the sun at least 12° below the horizon, on the 15th of each month, by latitude. From about 60° north the summer nights stay too bright for the aurora.

Month	55° N	60° N	65° N	70° N
JanuaryJan	13.5	14	14.5	15.5
FebruaryFeb	11.5	12	12	12
MarchMar	9.5	9.5	9	8
AprilApr	7	6	4	0
MayMay	4	0	0	0
JuneJun	0	0	0	0
JulyJul	2	0	0	0
AugustAug	5.5	4	0	0
SeptemberSep	8.5	8	7	5.5
OctoberOct	11	10.5	10.5	10.5
NovemberNov	12.5	13	13.5	14
DecemberDec	13.5	14.5	15	16

Where to see the northern lights

The aurora forms an oval around the geomagnetic pole. The Kp index rates geomagnetic activity from 0 to 9: the higher it is, the further south the lights reach.

Clear dark hours per night, by month: the hours of darkness times the average share of clear sky. The current month is outlined.

Aurora zone: most clear nights27

Under the aurora oval the lights appear on most dark, clear nights, even at low activity (Kp 0–2).

Longyearbyen
Svalbard · Kp 0Best months:Dec – Jan
1. 4
2. 3
3. 1
4. 0
5. 0
6. 0
7. 0
8. 0
9. 0
10. 2
11. 3
12. 5
Iqaluit
Canada · Kp 0Best months:Oct – Mar
1. 2
2. 2
3. 2
4. 1
5. 0
6. 0
7. 0
8. 0
9. 1
10. 2
11. 2
12. 2
Nuuk
Greenland · Kp 0Best months:Oct – Jan
1. 3
2. 3
3. 2
4. 1
5. 0
6. 0
7. 0
8. 0
9. 2
10. 3
11. 4
12. 4
Ísafjörður
Iceland · Kp 0Best months:Nov – Feb
1. 2
2. 2
3. 1
4. 1
5. 0
6. 0
7. 0
8. 0
9. 1
10. 2
11. 2
12. 2
Akureyri
Iceland · Kp 0Best months:Nov – Feb
1. 3
2. 3
3. 2
4. 1
5. 0
6. 0
7. 0
8. 0
9. 1
10. 2
11. 2
12. 3
Reykjavík
Iceland · Kp 0Best months:Nov – Jan
1. 3
2. 3
3. 2
4. 1
5. 0
6. 0
7. 0
8. 0
9. 2
10. 3
11. 4
12. 4
Hafnarfjörður
Iceland · Kp 0Best months:Nov – Jan
1. 3
2. 3
3. 2
4. 1
5. 0
6. 0
7. 0
8. 0
9. 2
10. 3
11. 4
12. 4
Grindavík
Iceland · Kp 0Best months:Nov – Jan
1. 3
2. 3
3. 2
4. 1
5. 0
6. 0
7. 0
8. 0
9. 2
10. 3
11. 4
12. 4
Yellowknife
Canada · Kp 0Best months:Jan – Mar
1. 4
2. 4
3. 3
4. 2
5. 0
6. 0
7. 0
8. 0
9. 2
10. 2
11. 2
12. 3
Honningsvåg
Norway · Kp 0Best months:Nov – Jan
1. 3
2. 2
3. 2
4. 0
5. 0
6. 0
7. 0
8. 0
9. 1
10. 2
11. 2
12. 3
Tromsø
Norway · Kp 0Best months:Nov – Jan
1. 4
2. 3
3. 2
4. 0
5. 0
6. 0
7. 0
8. 0
9. 1
10. 3
11. 3
12. 4
Svolvær
Norway · Kp 0Best months:Nov – Jan
1. 4
2. 3
3. 3
4. 0
5. 0
6. 0
7. 0
8. 0
9. 2
10. 3
11. 4
12. 4

… and 15 more places.

Often on active nights46

Here it takes some geomagnetic activity (Kp 3–4), which many winter nights bring.

Oulu
Finland · Kp 3Best months:Jan – Mar
1. 3
2. 3
3. 3
4. 2
5. 0
6. 0
7. 0
8. 0
9. 2
10. 2
11. 2
12. 2
Happy Valley-Goose Bay
Canada · Kp 3Best months:Dec – Feb
1. 5
2. 4
3. 3
4. 2
5. 1
6. 0
7. 1
8. 2
9. 3
10. 3
11. 4
12. 4
Anchorage
USA · Kp 3Best months:Mar, Nov – Jan
1. 4
2. 3
3. 4
4. 2
5. 0
6. 0
7. 0
8. 1
9. 2
10. 3
11. 4
12. 4
Umeå
Sweden · Kp 3Best months:Oct – Mar
1. 3
2. 3
3. 3
4. 2
5. 0
6. 0
7. 0
8. 0
9. 2
10. 3
11. 3
12. 3
Lerwick
United Kingdom · Kp 3Best months:Nov – Feb
1. 3
2. 3
3. 2
4. 2
5. 0
6. 0
7. 0
8. 1
9. 2
10. 3
11. 3
12. 3
Juneau
USA · Kp 3Best months:Nov – Mar
1. 3
2. 3
3. 3
4. 2
5. 0
6. 0
7. 0
8. 1
9. 2
10. 2
11. 3
12. 3
Bergen
Norway · Kp 3Best months:Nov – Feb
1. 3
2. 3
3. 3
4. 2
5. 0
6. 0
7. 0
8. 1
9. 2
10. 3
11. 3
12. 3
Kirkwall
United Kingdom · Kp 3Best months:Nov – Feb
1. 3
2. 3
3. 2
4. 2
5. 0
6. 0
7. 0
8. 1
9. 2
10. 3
11. 3
12. 3
Vaasa
Finland · Kp 3Best months:Oct – Mar
1. 3
2. 3
3. 3
4. 2
5. 0
6. 0
7. 0
8. 0
9. 3
10. 3
11. 3
12. 3
Sundsvall
Sweden · Kp 3Best months:Oct – Mar
1. 4
2. 4
3. 3
4. 2
5. 0
6. 0
7. 0
8. 0
9. 3
10. 3
11. 3
12. 4
Lillehammer
Norway · Kp 3Best months:Dec – Mar
1. 4
2. 4
3. 3
4. 2
5. 0
6. 0
7. 0
8. 1
9. 2
10. 3
11. 2
12. 3
Seward, Alaska
USA · Kp 3Best months:Oct – Mar
1. 3
2. 3
3. 3
4. 2
5. 0
6. 0
7. 0
8. 1
9. 2
10. 3
11. 4
12. 3

… and 34 more places.

During geomagnetic storms165

Here it takes a geomagnetic storm (Kp 5–6). According to NOAA, Kp 5 or more is reached on about 900 days per 11-year solar cycle, more often near solar maximum.

Dunfermline
United Kingdom · Kp 5Best months:Nov – Feb
1. 4
2. 3
3. 3
4. 2
5. 1
6. 0
7. 0
8. 1
9. 2
10. 3
11. 4
12. 4
Glasgow
United Kingdom · Kp 5Best months:Nov – Feb
1. 3
2. 3
3. 2
4. 2
5. 1
6. 0
7. 0
8. 1
9. 2
10. 3
11. 3
12. 3
Edinburgh
United Kingdom · Kp 5Best months:Nov – Feb
1. 4
2. 3
3. 3
4. 2
5. 1
6. 0
7. 0
8. 1
9. 2
10. 3
11. 4
12. 4
Winnipeg
Canada · Kp 5Best months:Aug – Mar
1. 4
2. 4
3. 4
4. 3
5. 2
6. 2
7. 2
8. 3
9. 4
10. 4
11. 4
12. 4
Motherwell
United Kingdom · Kp 5Best months:Nov – Feb
1. 3
2. 3
3. 2
4. 2
5. 1
6. 0
7. 0
8. 1
9. 2
10. 3
11. 3
12. 3
Stockholm
Sweden · Kp 5Best months:Sep – Mar
1. 3
2. 3
3. 4
4. 2
5. 0
6. 0
7. 0
8. 2
9. 3
10. 3
11. 3
12. 3
Derry
United Kingdom · Kp 5Best months:Oct – Feb
1. 3
2. 3
3. 2
4. 2
5. 1
6. 0
7. 0
8. 1
9. 2
10. 2
11. 3
12. 3
Regina
Canada · Kp 5Best months:Sep – Jan
1. 4
2. 3
3. 3
4. 3
5. 2
6. 2
7. 3
8. 4
9. 5
10. 5
11. 4
12. 4
Letterkenny
Ireland · Kp 5Best months:Oct – Feb
1. 3
2. 3
3. 2
4. 2
5. 1
6. 0
7. 0
8. 1
9. 2
10. 2
11. 3
12. 3
Porvoo
Finland · Kp 5Best months:Mar
1. 2
2. 2
3. 3
4. 2
5. 0
6. 0
7. 0
8. 1
9. 3
10. 3
11. 2
12. 2
Södertälje
Sweden · Kp 5Best months:Sep – Mar
1. 3
2. 3
3. 4
4. 2
5. 0
6. 0
7. 0
8. 2
9. 3
10. 3
11. 3
12. 3
Helsinki
Finland · Kp 5Best months:Mar, Oct
1. 2
2. 2
3. 3
4. 2
5. 0
6. 0
7. 0
8. 2
9. 3
10. 3
11. 2
12. 2

… and 153 more places.

Only in strong storms163

Here it takes a strong storm (Kp 7): according to NOAA about 130 days per 11-year solar cycle. The lights then mostly stay low on the northern horizon. Further south it takes a severe storm (Kp 8–9), which NOAA counts on about 60 days per cycle.

Northampton
United Kingdom · Kp 7Best months:Oct – Feb
1. 4
2. 3
3. 3
4. 3
5. 2
6. 1
7. 1
8. 2
9. 3
10. 3
11. 4
12. 4
Swansea
United Kingdom · Kp 7Best months:Oct – Mar
1. 4
2. 3
3. 3
4. 3
5. 2
6. 1
7. 1
8. 2
9. 3
10. 3
11. 3
12. 4
Leeuwarden
Netherlands · Kp 7Best months:Sep – Apr
1. 3
2. 3
3. 3
4. 3
5. 2
6. 0
7. 1
8. 2
9. 3
10. 3
11. 3
12. 3
Cheltenham
United Kingdom · Kp 7Best months:Oct – Feb
1. 4
2. 3
3. 3
4. 2
5. 2
6. 1
7. 1
8. 2
9. 3
10. 3
11. 3
12. 4
Harlingen
Netherlands · Kp 7Best months:Sep – Apr
1. 3
2. 3
3. 3
4. 3
5. 2
6. 0
7. 1
8. 2
9. 3
10. 3
11. 3
12. 3
Binz, Rügen
Germany · Kp 7Best months:Jan – Apr, Sep – Nov
1. 3
2. 3
3. 3
4. 3
5. 2
6. 0
7. 0
8. 2
9. 3
10. 3
11. 3
12. 3
Kühlungsborn
Germany · Kp 7Best months:Sep – Apr
1. 3
2. 3
3. 3
4. 3
5. 2
6. 0
7. 1
8. 2
9. 3
10. 3
11. 3
12. 3
Timmendorfer Strand
Germany · Kp 7Best months:Sep – Apr
1. 3
2. 3
3. 3
4. 3
5. 2
6. 0
7. 1
8. 2
9. 3
10. 3
11. 3
12. 3
Stralsund
Germany · Kp 7Best months:Jan – Apr, Sep – Nov
1. 3
2. 3
3. 3
4. 3
5. 2
6. 0
7. 0
8. 2
9. 3
10. 3
11. 3
12. 3
Emden
Germany · Kp 7Best months:Sep – Apr
1. 3
2. 3
3. 3
4. 3
5. 2
6. 0
7. 1
8. 2
9. 3
10. 3
11. 3
12. 3
Wilhelmshaven
Germany · Kp 7Best months:Sep – Apr
1. 3
2. 3
3. 3
4. 3
5. 2
6. 0
7. 1
8. 2
9. 3
10. 3
11. 3
12. 3
Klaipėda
Lithuania · Kp 7Best months:Feb – Apr, Sep – Oct
1. 3
2. 3
3. 3
4. 3
5. 2
6. 0
7. 0
8. 2
9. 3
10. 3
11. 2
12. 2

… and 151 more places.

Northern lights: quick answers

When is the best time to see the northern lights?

In the aurora zone the nights are dark enough from September to April. The most clear dark hours come from November to February. Geomagnetic storms are also somewhat more frequent around the equinoxes in March and September.

What time of night is best?

Around local midnight, roughly from 10 pm to 2 am, when your side of the earth turns under the aurora oval. On active nights the lights can start soon after dusk.

Can you see the northern lights in summer?

Not in the far north: from April to September, the sun in Longyearbyen never sinks 12° below the horizon, so the sky stays too bright.

Where can you see the northern lights best?

Under the aurora oval, for example in Longyearbyen, Iqaluit and Nuuk. Further south, such as in Oulu and Happy Valley-Goose Bay, it takes an active night.

Can you see the northern lights in the UK?

Yes, but only when geomagnetic activity is high: Lerwick needs about Kp 3, Eastbourne about Kp 7. Look north from a dark spot away from city lights.

Does the weather matter?

Yes, clouds hide the aurora. In the aurora zone the sky is clear only about 22 % of the time in January on average, so plan several nights.

How the numbers are worked out

Darkness comes from the sun's position on the 15th of each month (NOAA solar equations). Clear sky is 100 % minus the mean cloud cover of 1996–2025 (Copernicus ERA5 via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0). The geomagnetic latitude uses the IGRF-14 dipole for 2025, and the Kp limits follow NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center. These are long-term conditions, not an aurora forecast: tonight's aurora forecast at NOAA SWPC.

Climate averages 1996–2025, not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, WMO 1991–2020 (NOAA NCEI), GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Sources & licences