The Aurora season is upon us, there seems to be no end to the great Aurora forecasts. In the past few weeks we have had several nights of amazing Aurora and an even larger number of merely great Northern Lights displays. The latest Aurora forecast from the Icelandic Meteorological Office promises that this week might get it's share of spectacular Northern Lights.
Look to the sky tomorrow!
Of course we can never be certain when it comes to the Northern Lights, and that it's impossible to predict them with any certainty! That said: Tuesday and Wednesday are looking very good!
The Icelandic Meteorological Office is reporting an Aurora activity of 6, very high tomorrow, Tuesday, and an activity of 5, high on Wednesday. The IMO explains that an activity of 2, low can be beautiful and an activity of 3 moderate can be dazzling. Level 4 and above can generate spectacular display.
But for a great Aurora show you need two things: An active Aurora and clear skies. Which makes Tuesday and Wednesday particularly promising. Clear skies over most of South West Iceland and most of West and South Iceland maximize your chance of seeing thee Aurora once it starts.
Read more: Learn all about the Aurora on this new interactive website
According to IMO the sun sets at 17:36 (5:36 pm) tonight, and it will be dark from 18:27-07:58 (6:27 pm-7:58 am). With high Aurora activity you should have a pretty good chance of seeing the Aurora anytime after half past six tomorrow evening.
Where to go?
If the skies are clear and the Aurora is active you can see the Northern Lights pretty much anywhere in Iceland, even in downtown Reykjavík. However, the light pollution means that the Northern Lights will be more vibrant outside the city. But you don't need to go up into the mountains to escape the light pollution. There are plenty of spots in the city or on its outskirts which offer great spots for Northern Lights viewing.
Read more: Aurora hunters cause traffic jam at Grótta lighthouse in Reykjavík
One of these is the picturesque Grótta island on the western tip of the Reykjavík peninsula. However, be advised that this is also probably the most popular spot in Reykjavík, both among locals and foreign visitors. You might want to check out one of these other great spots a local Aurora photographer and friend of Iceland Insider Snorri Þór Tryggvason has identified – note that Snorri leaves Grótta out of the map!
The Aurora season is upon us, there seems to be no end to the great Aurora forecasts. In the past few weeks we have had several nights of amazing Aurora and an even larger number of merely great Northern Lights displays. The latest Aurora forecast from the Icelandic Meteorological Office promises that this week might get it's share of spectacular Northern Lights.
Look to the sky tomorrow!
Of course we can never be certain when it comes to the Northern Lights, and that it's impossible to predict them with any certainty! That said: Tuesday and Wednesday are looking very good!
The Icelandic Meteorological Office is reporting an Aurora activity of 6, very high tomorrow, Tuesday, and an activity of 5, high on Wednesday. The IMO explains that an activity of 2, low can be beautiful and an activity of 3 moderate can be dazzling. Level 4 and above can generate spectacular display.
But for a great Aurora show you need two things: An active Aurora and clear skies. Which makes Tuesday and Wednesday particularly promising. Clear skies over most of South West Iceland and most of West and South Iceland maximize your chance of seeing thee Aurora once it starts.
Read more: Learn all about the Aurora on this new interactive website
According to IMO the sun sets at 17:36 (5:36 pm) tonight, and it will be dark from 18:27-07:58 (6:27 pm-7:58 am). With high Aurora activity you should have a pretty good chance of seeing the Aurora anytime after half past six tomorrow evening.
Where to go?
If the skies are clear and the Aurora is active you can see the Northern Lights pretty much anywhere in Iceland, even in downtown Reykjavík. However, the light pollution means that the Northern Lights will be more vibrant outside the city. But you don't need to go up into the mountains to escape the light pollution. There are plenty of spots in the city or on its outskirts which offer great spots for Northern Lights viewing.
Read more: Aurora hunters cause traffic jam at Grótta lighthouse in Reykjavík
One of these is the picturesque Grótta island on the western tip of the Reykjavík peninsula. However, be advised that this is also probably the most popular spot in Reykjavík, both among locals and foreign visitors. You might want to check out one of these other great spots a local Aurora photographer and friend of Iceland Insider Snorri Þór Tryggvason has identified – note that Snorri leaves Grótta out of the map!
