Iceland · Aurora borealis
Is the aurora visible in Reykjavík tonight?
Right now
Maybe — stay ready.
Kp is 0.0. Reykjavík 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.
Reykjavík 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.
Come back at 06:45 PM — that’s when the sky goes dark and the aurora could show.
Add a reminderHow to see the aurora from Reykjavík
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 Reykjavík?
Aurora season in Reykjavík runs roughly September – March. Here the months that pay off are September, October, and November — the table below shows why. See the full best time to see the aurora guide for the season in detail.
Reykjavík by the numbers
Between Sep 1, 2025 and Aug 31, 2026, Reykjavík had 294 nights dark enough for the aurora, and the planetary Kp reached the Kp 1+ this place needs on 291 of them. Averaged over 2015–2024 and this location's cloud cover, that works out to about 88 aurora-possible nights a year, most of them in September, October, and November.
| Month | Dark hours per night | Dark nights | Average cloud cover | Aurora-possible nights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 16 h | 31 | 77% | 8 |
| February | 13.5 h | 28 | 80% | 7 |
| March | 10.5 h | 31 | 75% | 9 |
| April | 6.8 h | 30 | 77% | 9 |
| May | 1.3 h | 14 | 76% | 4 |
| June | 0 | 0 | 81% | 0 |
| July | 0 | 6 | 79% | 2 |
| August | 5.3 h | 31 | 76% | 11 |
| September | 9.3 h | 30 | 77% | 10 |
| October | 12.3 h | 31 | 77% | 10 |
| November | 15.3 h | 30 | 75% | 10 |
| December | 17 h | 31 | 75% | 9 |
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 Reykjavík
Get out of the city lights and find a clear view to the north. These are places near Reykjavík that locals and aurora chasers use. Distances and drive times are from the city centre.
Perlan on Öskjuhlíð hill
The hill is darker than downtown. Perlan's deck around the dome gives a 360° view over the city.
Light pollution here is still moderate. The deck needs a ticket and its hours change, so check before you go. The paths on the hill outside are another option.
MapGrandi harbour, northern tip (Eyjaslóð)
This waterfront point in the old harbour district is the closest place to the centre with an open view out to sea. Walk up Eyjaslóð along the water to reach the tip.
You are still in the city, so only fairly strong displays stand out. Bus 14 stops at Grandi.
MapGrótta, Seltjarnarnes
This small tidal island at the western tip of the Seltjarnarnes peninsula has far fewer city lights than the centre. It looks out over open sea.
The causeway floods at high tide, so check the tide table before you cross. The island is closed from 1 May to 15 July for nesting birds. Bus 11 to Hofgarðar leaves you about 1.3 km away on foot.
MapÞingvellir National Park (Hakið viewpoint)
It is far from city light and has wide, open ground with dark skies all around.
Cars pay a parking fee, listed at 1,000 ISK. In midwinter a 4x4 is safer on the roads.
Map
Local tips
- Use the Icelandic Met Office aurora forecast at en.vedur.is. Cloud matters more than activity, and on its cloud map white areas are clear skies.
- The Sun Voyager waterfront looks across Faxaflói Bay towards Mount Esja, so it faces open sky. It is very light-polluted and only worth trying when activity is fairly strong.
- Reykjavík has switched off street lights in parts of the city for a strong display before: on 28 September 2016 lights were turned off from 22:00 until midnight.
The last big one
: A strong, colourful display was seen over Reykjavík and the bay from about 20:00 until just before 23:00. A veteran whale-watching captain called it the biggest he had seen there.
Sources (7), checked 2026-11-07
- perlan.is/articles/northern-lights-in-reykjavik
- icelandreview.com/travel/where-to-see-the-northern-lights…
- guidetoiceland.is/the-northern-lights/best-places-to-see-…
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gr%C3%B3tta
- thingvellir.is/en/service/parking-service/
- mainepublic.org/2016-09-29/reykjavik-turns-off-street-l…
- icelandreview.com/news/strong-aurora-activity-lights-up-s…
Plan the trip
Aurora tours & stays near Reykjavík
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 Reykjavík.
See Reykjavík toursDates pre-filled for tonight
- Booking.com
Aurora cabins & lodges
Cabins, lodges and aurora-view stays near Reykjavík — 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 Reykjavík — remote, cold and weather-dependent — from a few dollars a day.
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In depth
Read the Reykjavík destination guide
Best months, where exactly to go, and the tours worth booking — the full guide to seeing the aurora in Reykjavík.