Northern lights in Tromsø tonight and this season

1Aurora over Tromsø right now

2Kp forecast for Tromsø, next 3 days

Data: NOAA SWPC. Slots before now are NOAA estimates, the rest are predicted values.

3Why Tromsø sits under the northern lights

Tromsø lies at 69.65 degrees north and 18.96 degrees east, on the island of Tromsøya in the Tromsøysundet strait, just off the mainland of northern Norway. Converted to geomagnetic latitude with the WMM2025 dipole, that is about 67.5 degrees, well inside the auroral zone. NOAA's rule of thumb places the equatorward edge of the auroral oval at about 66 degrees geomagnetic latitude for Kp 0, which is why this page lists the Kp needed for Tromsø as 1 or more: on a quiet night the oval can already sit overhead.

That is the difference between Tromsø and a city like Edinburgh or Kiel, which need a geomagnetic storm of Kp 4 to 6 before the oval reaches them. In Tromsø the question is rarely whether the activity is enough. It is whether the sky is dark and clear.

4When to go to Tromsø for the northern lights

The aurora needs darkness, and Tromsø has plenty in winter. The polar night, when the sun stays below the horizon, lasts from 28 November to 14 January, 48 days. The midnight sun is the opposite: from 19 May to 27 July the sun never sets, and no aurora is visible between late April and mid August because the sky never gets dark enough. The dark season for northern lights in Tromsø therefore runs from the end of summer to early spring, with the deepest darkness around the polar night.

The 27-day outlook on the home page gives the largest Kp expected per day, which helps to pick a window with more activity, but it is not a forecast for a particular night. The 3-day forecast above is the one to read before going out.

5Getting out of the city lights in Tromsø

The city centre is on Tromsøya. The Tromsø Bridge and the Tromsøysund Tunnel connect it to the suburb of Tromsdalen on the mainland, and the Sandnessund Bridge connects it to Kvaløysletta on the island of Kvaløya. Those crossings are the way out of the street lights: the darker shorelines on the mainland and on Kvaløya are a short drive from the centre. Tromsø is a coastal city, so cloud cover can close the sky over the island while it stays open inland, which is why most guided tours drive rather than wait in town.

The city is served by Tromsø Airport, opened in 1964 on the main island, and had 42,782 inhabitants in 2024.

6Northern lights tours in Tromsø

Fifty-seven tours in Tromsø pass this site's filter of at least 4.3 stars and 20 reviews on Viator, counted on 9 October 2026, with prices from 74 USD. The six with most reviews are below, and the full list with every destination is under Northern lights tours. Booking goes through Viator, the site earns a commission and the price stays the same. No tour can guarantee an aurora: check the Kp forecast above before choosing a date.

Tromso Aurora Hunt with Bonfire, Meal, Winter Suit & Photos4.8 · 2,436 reviews · 5 hfrom 211 USDChasing Lights: Aurora Big Bus Chase (All Photos Included)4.9 · 1,703 reviews · 5 hfrom 129 USDNorthern Lights Adventure with Greenlander, 8 people max5.0 · 1,519 reviews · 6 hfrom 318 USDChasing Lights: Aurora Minibus Chase (All Photos Included)4.9 · 1,410 reviews · 5 hfrom 257 USDTromso Northern Lights Minibus Chase Small Group Tour with Photos4.8 · 1,299 reviews · 7 hfrom 244 USDTromsø: Small Group | Northern Lights Chase + All-Inclusive4.9 · 974 reviews · 6 hfrom 173 USD