Norway · Aurora borealis
Is the aurora visible in Narvik tonight?
Right now
Maybe — stay ready.
Kp is 0.0. Narvik 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.
Narvik 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 Narvik
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 Narvik?
Aurora season in Narvik runs roughly September – March. Here the months that pay off are September, October, and April — the table below shows why. See the full best time to see the aurora guide for the season in detail.
Narvik by the numbers
Between Sep 1, 2025 and Aug 31, 2026, Narvik had 261 nights dark enough for the aurora, and the planetary Kp reached the Kp 1+ this place needs on 260 of them. Averaged over 2015–2024 and this location's cloud cover, that works out to about 70 aurora-possible nights a year, most of them in September, October, and April.
| Month | Dark hours per night | Dark nights | Average cloud cover | Aurora-possible nights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 17.5 h | 31 | 79% | 7 |
| February | 13.8 h | 28 | 80% | 6 |
| March | 10.3 h | 31 | 78% | 8 |
| April | 5.3 h | 30 | 69% | 13 |
| May | 0 | 0 | 75% | 0 |
| June | 0 | 0 | 76% | 0 |
| July | 0 | 0 | 73% | 0 |
| August | 2.8 h | 20 | 76% | 6 |
| September | 8.5 h | 30 | 75% | 10 |
| October | 12.8 h | 31 | 77% | 9 |
| November | 16.3 h | 30 | 80% | 6 |
| December | 18.5 h | 31 | 82% | 5 |
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 Narvik
Get out of the city lights and find a clear view to the north. These are places near Narvik that locals and aurora chasers use. Distances and drive times are from the city centre.
Narvikfjellet
The gondola climbs from the edge of town to an upper station at 656 m. From there you look out over the Ofotfjord and the mountains, high above the town lights.
The resort is being rebuilt before the 2029 Alpine World Championships, and a new gondola is due for winter 2026/27. Check narvikfjellet.no for current gondola times before going. The map pin is the lower station.
MapSkjomen
A side fjord just south of Narvik. Local guides head here when snow clouds come in from the north-west, because it can stay clear.
It is a narrow fjord with mountains on both sides, so you need a stretch with an open view north.
MapRiksgränsen
Just over the Swedish border on the E10. Local guides cross into Sweden when mild south-westerly weather clouds over the coast, because the inland side can be clearer.
It is in Sweden, at the top of an exposed mountain pass. Check the cloud forecast for the inland side before you go.
MapGratangen
When southerly winds push cloud over Narvik, it can be clear north of the Gratangsfjell mountains. This fjord is the usual target on those nights.
It is a drive of almost an hour over a mountain stretch, so check the road conditions in winter.
Map
Local tips
- Pick your direction by the wind. North-west snow clouds point to Skjomen, southerly cloud points to north of Gratangsfjell, and mild south-westerly weather points to Sweden.
- The season runs from September to April. December and January have the most hours of darkness, so they give the longest viewing windows.
- A northern lights train runs from Narvik station along the Ofotbanen railway to Katterat. The station has no road, so there is almost no artificial light around it.
Plan the trip
Aurora tours & stays near Narvik
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 Narvik — 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 Narvik — remote, cold and weather-dependent — from a few dollars a day.
Get covered