Live aurora forecast
Northern lights in Sweden tonight and this season
Live aurora odds for 2 places in Sweden, the Kp each one needs, the season, and the guided tours that pass the catalogue filter. Data: NOAA SWPC, refreshed every 15 minutes.
In short
Northern lights in Sweden need Kp 1 or more at Abisko, the best placed of the 2 spots on this page by geomagnetic latitude (66.3°). The aurora season in Sweden runs from late August to mid April, when nights are long enough, and the darkest months are November to February. The probability over each place right now comes from the NOAA OVATION model and refreshes every 15 minutes, with the time of the last fetch shown under each figure.
Key points
- Kp needed: 1 at Abisko, by geomagnetic latitude
- 2 places in Sweden with a live OVATION probability on this page
- Aurora probability over Abisko refreshes every 15 minutes with the fetch time shown
- 3 guided tours pass the filter of 4.3 stars, 20 reviews and an aurora title
- Kp forecast for the next 3 days in 3-hour slots, from NOAA SWPC
On this page
1Aurora over Abisko right now
Data: NOAA SWPC, fetched 09:11 UTC. Aurora probability by destination from the NOAA OVATION model, forecast for 9 Oct, 10:15 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).
2Why Sweden for the northern lights
Swedish Lapland has two bases an hour apart. Abisko is known for a drier, clearer sky than the coast, sheltered by the mountains, and for the Aurora Sky Station on Mount Nuolja. Kiruna has the airport and the ice hotel in nearby Jukkasjärvi. Both sit at the edge of the oval, so Kp 1 is enough on a clear night.
Data: NOAA SWPC, fetched 09:11 UTC. Aurora probability by destination from the NOAA OVATION model, forecast for 9 Oct, 10:15 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).
3The Kp each place in Sweden needs
The table ranks the places in Sweden by geomagnetic latitude, which is what decides how strong a storm has to be before the auroral oval reaches them. NOAA puts the edge of the oval at about 66 degrees geomagnetic for Kp 0 and moves it 2 degrees toward the equator per Kp level. The full method, including why the figure is conservative, is on the data and method page.
4Kp 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 | 3.67 | 3.00 | 3.00 | |
| 12-15 | 4.67 G1 | 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.
5When to see the northern lights in Sweden
The aurora season in Sweden runs from late August to mid April, when nights are long enough, and the darkest months are November to February. In Abisko and Kiruna the sun stays below the horizon for weeks around the winter solstice, so the aurora can show in the afternoon. No aurora is visible during the midnight sun weeks.
6Northern lights tours in Sweden
3 guided aurora tours in Sweden pass the catalogue filter of at least 4.3 stars, 20 reviews and a title that names the aurora, from 120 USD per person. The cards below show the most reviewed ones per place, and the Sweden tours page lists them all with prices, duration and reviews.
Northern lights tours from Abisko 3
Kiruna Northern Lights Tour with Photographer5.0 · 813 reviews · 4 hfrom 120 USD
Snowmobile Aurora Expedition with dinner4.7 · 113 reviews · 5 hfrom 225 USD
Kiruna: Aurora Chase with Street Food Dinner & Nature Guides5.0 · 72 reviews · 5 hfrom 200 USDNorthern lights tours from Kiruna 3
| Place | Latitude | Geomagnetic latitude | Kp needed | Tours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abisko | 68.3° N | 66.3° | 1 | 3 |
| Kiruna | 67.9° N | 65.7° | 1 | 3 |
Source: NOAA NCEI, World Magnetic Model 2025, geomagnetic pole, checked on 9 Oct 2026.
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Frequently asked questions
Can you see the northern lights in Sweden?
Yes, when the Kp index reaches the level a place needs and the sky is dark and clear. Abisko needs Kp 1 or more by the NOAA rule used on this site, and Kiruna needs Kp 1. The live probability for each place in Sweden is on this page and refreshes every 15 minutes.
What Kp index do you need for the northern lights in Sweden?
Kp 1 or more at every place on this page. The figure comes from geomagnetic latitude: NOAA puts the edge of the auroral oval at about 66 degrees for Kp 0 and moves it 2 degrees toward the equator per Kp level, and it is conservative, because NOAA also notes that aurora is often visible hundreds of kilometres equatorward of that edge. The data and method page explains the calculation and its limits.
When is the best time to see the northern lights in Sweden?
The aurora season in Sweden runs from late August to mid April, when nights are long enough, and the darkest months are November to February. Clear, dark nights matter as much as the Kp, so the cloud forecast for the dates decides the real view.
Which place in Sweden has the best aurora odds tonight?
The cards on this page rank the 2 places in Sweden by the NOAA OVATION probability for the current forecast hour. All of them need the same Kp, so the OVATION figure and the local cloud decide, and the cards refresh every 15 minutes.
Are there guided northern lights tours in Sweden?
Yes. 3 tours pass the catalogue filter of at least 4.3 stars, 20 reviews and an aurora title: 3 in Abisko and 3 in Kiruna, from 120 USD per person. They are listed on this page by place and in full on the Sweden tours page, with prices, duration and reviews.
Does Sweden have polar night or midnight sun?
Yes. Abisko and Kiruna lie north of the Arctic Circle, so the sun stays below the horizon for part of the winter and above it for part of the summer. No aurora is visible during the midnight sun weeks, and in the polar night it can appear in the afternoon.
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
- Viator Partner API, catalogue and operator listings, 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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