Sweden · Aurora borealis
Is the aurora visible in Abisko tonight?
Right now
Maybe — stay ready.
Kp is 0.0. Abisko needs Kp 1+ for the oval overhead — right now it’s low on the northern horizon.
Tonight's peak is forecast around Kp 4.0 (Active). The forecast still depends on darkness, cloud and the moon at your exact spot.
Reliable about 30 minutes ahead — cloud decides the rest.
Abisko sits right under the auroral oval — it needs roughly Kp 1+ for the northern lights to come into view. Here's tonight's live space weather and how to plan around it.
How to see the aurora from Abisko
Face north and find a clear, low horizon in that direction. Everything else — dark skies, adapted eyes, the camera trick — is the same anywhere on Earth, so it lives in the how to photograph the aurora guide.
When can you see the northern lights in Abisko?
Aurora season in Abisko runs roughly September – March. Here the months that pay off are March, April, and September — the table below shows why. See the full best time to see the aurora guide for the season in detail.
Abisko by the numbers
Between Sep 1, 2025 and Aug 31, 2026, Abisko had 263 nights dark enough for the aurora, and the planetary Kp reached the Kp 1+ this place needs on 262 of them. Averaged over 2015–2024 and this location's cloud cover, that works out to about 41 aurora-possible nights a year, most of them in March, April, and September.
| Month | Dark hours per night | Dark nights | Average cloud cover | Aurora-possible nights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 17.5 h | 31 | 88% | 3 |
| February | 13.8 h | 28 | 86% | 4 |
| March | 10.3 h | 31 | 81% | 7 |
| April | 5.3 h | 30 | 77% | 9 |
| May | 0 | 0 | 77% | 0 |
| June | 0 | 0 | 75% | 0 |
| July | 0 | 0 | 75% | 0 |
| August | 2.8 h | 20 | 78% | 6 |
| September | 8.5 h | 30 | 83% | 5 |
| October | 12.8 h | 31 | 87% | 4 |
| November | 16.3 h | 30 | 91% | 2 |
| December | 18.5 h | 31 | 91% | 2 |
Sources: the sun's geometry (dark = at least 6° below the horizon), GFZ Potsdam's Kp index 2015–2024 (CC BY 4.0), ERA5 cloud cover via Open-Meteo (the table shows the monthly mean; the estimate counts days that were not overcast). An estimate for comparing places and months, not a forecast — how we estimate this.
Where to watch near Abisko
Get out of the city lights and find a clear view to the north. These are places near Abisko that locals and aurora chasers use. Distances and drive times are from the city centre.
Aurora Sky Station, Mount Nuolja
The station sits about 900 m up Nuolja, well above the village lights. From the terrace you look out over Lake Torneträsk, Lapporten and the Abisko valley.
Only reachable by chairlift or with a guide; the open two-seat chairs take 20 to 40 minutes. Night visits run 20:30 to 01:00 from 19 Oct 2026 to 27 Mar 2027, with 40 places a night and no refunds if weather stops the lift. The drive figure is to the chairlift base.
MapTorneträsk shore at the Abisko River delta (by STF Abisko Turiststation)
The Abisko River runs north into Torneträsk next to the tourist station, so the shore here has an open view north across the lake. Local aurora guides use the delta and the shoreline as regular viewing stops.
Ice and snow on the shore change through the season, so take care on the frozen lake. The delta is closed in summer to protect nesting birds.
Map
Local tips
- The best months are mid-November to mid-March. From about 25 May to mid-July the sun does not set, so there is no aurora to see.
- Abisko lies in the rain shadow of the Scandinavian mountains and is one of the driest places in Sweden. It is still fairly cloudy by Swedish standards, so the dry climate improves your odds but does not promise a clear night.
- Book Aurora Sky Station night visits ahead. Places are limited, and on the open chairlift you need your own hat, face cover and insulated mittens.
Plan the trip
Aurora tours & stays near Abisko
Some links below are paid affiliate links. If you book a tour, reserve a stay or buy gear through them, we may earn a commission — it never costs you anything extra and helps keep the forecast free.
- GetYourGuide
Aurora chasing tours
Guided minibus & boat tours that drive you to the clearest skies around Abisko.
See Abisko toursDates pre-filled for tonight
- Booking.com
Aurora cabins & lodges
Cabins, lodges and aurora-view stays near Abisko — settle in and watch the lights.
Find stays - Discover Cars
Rent a car to chase clear skies
Self-drive to dark-sky spots away from town glow. Compare every local supplier.
Compare cars - SafetyWing
Cover the trip
Travel medical cover for a trip to Abisko — remote, cold and weather-dependent — from a few dollars a day.
Get covered
In depth
Read the Abisko destination guide
Best months, where exactly to go, and the tours worth booking — the full guide to seeing the aurora in Abisko.