Live aurora forecast
Northern lights in Akureyri tonight and this season
Aurora probability over Akureyri right now from NOAA, the Kp index the city needs by geomagnetic latitude, the nights that get dark enough, calculated from the sun, and whether any guided tour passes the catalogue filter.
In short
Northern lights in Akureyri do not wait for a storm: the city sits at 69.6° N geomagnetic latitude, inside the auroral oval already at Kp 0, where NOAA's rule of thumb puts the oval's equatorward edge at about 66°. Any Kp is enough with a dark, clear sky, and the cards on this site use Kp 1, the lowest value they show. Fully dark nights in Akureyri (sun 18° below the horizon) run from 7 September to 5 April. No guided aurora tour from Akureyri passes the catalogue filter of 4.3 stars and 20 reviews yet. The aurora probability over the city right now, from NOAA's OVATION model, is on this page and refreshes every 15 minutes.
Key points
- Akureyri sits inside the auroral oval already at Kp 0 (69.6° N geomagnetic): any Kp with a dark sky, Kp 1 on the cards
- Fully dark nights in Akureyri (sun 18° below the horizon) run from 7 September to 5 April.
- Aurora probability over Akureyri from NOAA OVATION, refreshed every 15 minutes with the fetch time shown
- No guided aurora tour in the catalogue passes the filter yet
- Kp forecast for the next 3 days in 3-hour slots, and the other places in Iceland for comparison
On this page
1Aurora over Akureyri right now
Data: NOAA SWPC, fetched 15:06 UTC. Aurora probability by destination from the NOAA OVATION model, forecast for 9 Oct, 16:06 UTC. Aurora also needs a dark and clear sky. Kp needed: NOAA puts the edge of the auroral oval at about 66° geomagnetic latitude for Kp 0, 2° closer to the equator per Kp level. Geomagnetic latitude from the WMM2025 dipole pole (NOAA NCEI).
2The Kp index Akureyri needs
Akureyri lies at 65.7° N, which is 69.6° N geomagnetic latitude on the WMM2025 dipole. NOAA's viewing tips put the edge of the auroral oval at about 66° geomagnetic for Kp 0 and move it about 2° closer to the equator with each Kp level, down to 48° at Kp 9. At 69.6° N Akureyri is inside the oval before any storm begins, so the cards on this site use Kp 1, the lowest value they show. NOAA also notes that aurora can often be observed hundreds of kilometres equatorward of the oval's edge, so a bright display can show low on the northern horizon one Kp level earlier.
3Kp forecast for the next 3 days
| UTC | Fri 9 Oct | Sat 10 Oct | Sun 11 Oct | Mon 12 Oct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 00-03 | 4.00 | 4.67 G1 | 3.00 | |
| 03-06 | 3.67 | 5.67 G2 | ||
| 06-09 | 3.00 | 4.33 | ||
| 09-12 | 3.00 | 3.00 | ||
| 12-15 | 1.67 | 2.67 | ||
| 15-18 | 5.00 G1 | 2.33 | 2.33 | |
| 18-21 | 6.00 G2 | 2.67 | 2.00 | |
| 21-00 | 5.67 G2 | 2.67 | 2.67 |
Data: NOAA SWPC. Slots before now are NOAA estimates, the rest are predicted values.
4When the sky over Akureyri is dark enough
The aurora needs a dark sky as much as it needs Kp, and darkness is a matter of latitude and date. Fully dark nights in Akureyri (sun 18° below the horizon) run from 7 September to 5 April. From 23 April to 20 August the sky never gets darker than nautical twilight, so only a strong display shows, low on the horizon. Dates are an own calculation from the sun's declination for the latitude of Akureyri, with the US Naval Observatory definitions of twilight, and can be a day off at the edges. Clouds and moonlight are the other half of the question: the home page shows the moon phase for each of the next 27 days.
5Why Iceland for the northern lights
The whole of Iceland lies under the auroral oval, so the Kp needed is the lowest on the scale and the real question is cloud. Reykjavik has the flights and the tours, but its lights hide faint displays: most operators drive out of the city. Akureyri in the north sits further from the Atlantic fronts.
6Akureyri compared with the other places in Iceland
The table lists both places in Iceland on this site. Both need Kp 1.
| Place | Latitude | Geomagnetic | Kp needed | Tours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akureyri | 65.7° N | 69.6° N | 1 | 0 |
| Reykjavik | 64.1° N | 68.8° N | 1 | 32 |
7Northern lights tours in Akureyri
No guided aurora tour from Akureyri passes the catalogue filter of 4.3 stars and 20 reviews yet. The aurora probability above does not depend on tours: a dark spot outside the lights of the town is the first thing to find.
| Fact | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Coordinates | 65.7° N, 18.1° W | site destination list |
| Geomagnetic latitude | 69.6° N (WMM2025) | NOAA NCEI, own calculation |
| Kp needed | any, Kp 1 on the cards | NOAA rule of thumb |
| Fully dark nights | 7 September to 5 April | own calculation (Meeus), USNO definitions |
| Too bright for faint aurora | 23 April to 20 August | own calculation (Meeus), USNO definitions |
| Tours that pass the filter | none yet, counted 9 Oct 2026 | booking catalogue |
Source: NOAA NCEI, World Magnetic Model 2025, geomagnetic pole, checked on 9 Oct 2026.
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Frequently asked questions
What Kp index do you need to see the northern lights in Akureyri?
Any Kp with a dark, clear sky. Akureyri sits at 69.6° N geomagnetic latitude, inside the auroral oval already at Kp 0 by NOAA's rule of thumb, which puts the oval's edge at about 66°. The cards on this site use Kp 1, the lowest value they show.
When is the best time to see the northern lights in Akureyri?
Fully dark nights in Akureyri (sun 18° below the horizon) run from 7 September to 5 April. The darkest skies of the month are the 5 nights around the new moon. The home page shows the moon for each of the next 27 days.
Can you see the northern lights in Akureyri in summer?
From 23 April to 20 August the sky never gets darker than nautical twilight, so only a strong display shows, low on the horizon.
How many northern lights tours are there in Akureyri?
None in the catalogue passes the filter of 4.3 stars and 20 reviews yet, so this page shows the probability and the Kp needed for Akureyri without tours.
Is Akureyri the best place in Iceland for the northern lights?
By Kp needed both places in Iceland on this site are level at Kp 1, Akureyri included. Clouds and light decide the rest.
Why does the Akureyri aurora probability on this page change?
It comes from NOAA's OVATION model, a forecast for the next 30 to 90 minutes, which this site re-reads at most every 15 minutes. The Kp needed, 1, does not change: it is geography.
Sources (4)
Sources
- NOAA SWPC, tips on viewing the aurora, checked on 9 Oct 2026
- NOAA NCEI, World Magnetic Model 2025, geomagnetic pole, checked on 9 Oct 2026
- NOAA SWPC, OVATION aurora forecast model, checked on 9 Oct 2026
- US Naval Observatory, rise, set and twilight definitions, checked on 9 Oct 2026
Written and maintained by the Kp Forecast editorial team. Independent site, not a space weather agency. Data: NOAA SWPC.
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