27 day aurora forecast iceland

The map of Iceland shows forecast of cloud cover.

Below are some of the most commonly-asked questions by visitors to Iceland regarding aurora-watching. The answers are simply intended to provide practical advice based on my own personal experiences of aurora-watching in Iceland. Please click on one of the questions below to find the relevant information. If you have a question that is not answered here then please consider emailing me. Then I can add your question to the list to help future visitors maximise their chances of seeing the aurora.

27 day aurora forecast iceland

Northern lights forecast for Iceland. Check the live aurora forecast and weather conditions before your Northern Lights tour in Iceland. Learn more about the Northern Lights forecast and why you should keep in mind that even when the Kp-index indicates moderate to high activity, there is no guarantee that you will witness the Northern Lights. As a natural phenomenon, nature offers no assurances! It's also worth remembering that the lights have been spotted even when the Kp-index was at 0. Check now and book your tour. In the past, it was believed that gods and magical beings were responsible for creating the fabled Northern Lights, which would make it challenging to predict the chances of seeing them. In more modern times, science has revealed the optimal aurora conditions. Today, experts can predict where and when the lights will appear — to some degree. Arctic Adventures guides keep track of the weather, solar flares, and cloud cover to make the Northern Lights tours worthwhile and eventful for sightseers. There, protons and electrons interact with gas atoms and effuse energy and light. The playful colors of the Northern Lights depend on the type of gas particles involved. Solar winds are streams of charged particles that come from the Sun. When the turbulent solar winds are particularly strong, this can cause a major outbreak of the Northern Lights. Scientists monitor solar wind speed and use this data to create forecasts.

The forecast is updated around 6 p. You can find information on the hours of darkness HERE. Many of the tour operators have websites showing their aurora diaries, where you can get a feel for what they usually see, the types of photographs they acquire, and whether or not it is for you.

The Icelandic Met Office measures solar activity. Combined with the Cloud Forecast, it will give you clues on where the Northern Lights are likely to be seen. Please note that the forecast changes frequently and is most reliable at about 6 pm of the current day. Focus on the lower and middle clouds, and look for white spots or lighter shades on the map. The 9-point scale on the right side of the page is a simple way to judge your chances of seeing something. This is the most usual forecast. Go out!

The Icelandic Met Office measures solar activity. Combined with the Cloud Forecast, it will give you clues on where the Northern Lights are likely to be seen. Please note that the forecast changes frequently and is most reliable at about 6 pm of the current day. Focus on the lower and middle clouds, and look for white spots or lighter shades on the map. The 9-point scale on the right side of the page is a simple way to judge your chances of seeing something. This is the most usual forecast. Go out!

27 day aurora forecast iceland

Learning how to read the Northern Lights forecast and be patient is crucial if you want to increase your chances of seeing this elusive phenomenon. No matter how good you are at predicting the Northern Lights, forecasts can change in minutes! Before discussing how to predict the Northern Lights, I recommend that you take a look at our articles on the best time to see Northern Lights and the best places to see Northern Lights. In the Northern Lights forecast, there are three main indicators for tracking the Aurora:. The KP index is the most common way to forecast the Northern Lights, and you can use it both for short-term and long-term Aurora prediction. Here, you can learn a little more about what causes the Northern Lights. The KP-index ranges from and, generally speaking, has the following implications for the Northern Lights forecast :. KP 1 to 3 : Auroras are usually quiet and faint. The predominant color is green, and they are most visible in the northern sky at high latitudes.

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The higher the activity index Kp number , the more chances you have to witness the mesmerizing Aurora Borealis. This is about the altitude at which the International Space Station flies! Leirvogur — Magnetic Observatory The magnetic observatory Leirvogur measures the magnetic disturbances above Iceland. Can I still see the aurora? A magnetometer is a device that measures deviations in the Earth's magnetic field which can be indicative of auroral activity. If you wish to know more about why relying on Kp-based predictions is not recommended for real-time aurora-chasing then please check out the blog Why Kp is a poor indicator for auroral alerts. I have this app running most evenings, and it emits an audible alarm when an aurora substorm commences. I almost always search for auroras by naked eye, and if I see them then I head out with the camera. If you are certain that there is definitely nothing to see with either your eyes or via your camera, then it is possible that the aurora simply isn't active. Find out more about the phenomenon here.

The map of Iceland shows forecast of cloud cover. Green areas are cloudy and white areas clear skies. Move the slider below the cloud cover map, or click directly on a day or time.

See Q4. The light green means partly cloudy and dark green means very cloudy so a low chance for sightings as the visibility is low. The northern lights are visible between September and April. In general, I think it very much depends on the type of person you are, your aims and whether you have sufficient previous experience of aurora-watching to be able to enjoy finding it for yourself. Hit the road! An aurora along the northern horizon, taken in Iceland on 23 October Find more here. The forecast of auroral activity at midnight, scale 0 to 9, is shown in the upper-right box. Back to top of page Q4. Back to top of page Q6.