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Aurora Forecast - Finnish Lapland

Finnish Lapland, Finland

Aurora forecast for Finnish Lapland's dark sky locations. Track Northern Lights at Saariselkä, Inari, Utsjoki - directly under the auroral oval.

This forecast answers the question every aurora photographer asks: "Can I actually see the aurora tonight?" Unlike simple Kp forecasts, we combine NOAA's OVATION aurora model with real-time cloud cover, visibility, and darkness data to predict true viewing conditions.

Finnish Lapland sits directly under the auroral oval, making it one of Earth's most reliable aurora viewing regions. These curated photography spots span from Rovaniemi at the Arctic Circle to Utsjoki at Finland's northernmost tip.

What makes Finnish Lapland special:

  • Dark sky reserves - Minimal light pollution across vast wilderness areas
  • Fell landscapes - Elevated viewpoints like Kaunispää offer 360° aurora visibility
  • Lake reflections - Inari and other large lakes create stunning mirror shots
  • Research heritage - Sodankylä hosts one of the world's oldest aurora research stations

Best conditions typically occur September through March. The fell regions often experience temperature inversions that trap clouds below, giving you clear skies when lowlands are overcast.

Next potential opportunity
Inari
Inari, Lapland, Finland
Starting in ~2 hours
High confidence

Location status

0 of 12 locations currently active

Saariselkä

Inactive

Fell resort with panoramic 360° aurora visibility from Kaunispää

Saariselka, Lapland, Finland

Right now: Aurora activity too low (33%, needs ≥ 50%)

View forecast

Inari

Inactive

Lakeside village on Lake Inari with exceptional dark skies

Inari, Lapland, Finland

Right now: Aurora activity too low (35%, needs ≥ 50%)

Next opportunity in ~2h

2 opportunities in next 14 days

View forecast

Kilpisjärvi

Inactive

Remote border village with dramatic mountain backdrops

Kilpisjärvi, Lapland, Finland

Right now: Aurora activity too low (34%, needs ≥ 50%)

Next opportunity in ~26h

2 opportunities in next 14 days

View forecast

Muonio

Inactive

Gateway to Pallas-Yllästunturi with river reflections

Muonio, Lapland, Finland

Right now: Aurora activity too low (22%, needs ≥ 50%)

View forecast

Utsjoki

Inactive

Finland's northernmost village - prime aurora zone

Utsjoki, Lapland, Finland

Right now: Aurora activity too low (36%, needs ≥ 50%)

Next opportunity in ~26h

4 opportunities in next 14 days

View forecast

Rovaniemi

Inactive

Arctic Circle city - gateway to Lapland with Ounasvaara viewpoint

Rovaniemi, Lapland, Finland

Right now: Aurora activity too low (17%, needs ≥ 50%)

View forecast

Sodankylä

Inactive

Home to aurora research station with minimal light pollution

Sodankylä, Lapland, Finland

Right now: Aurora activity too low (20%, needs ≥ 50%)

Next opportunity in ~9h

2 opportunities in next 14 days

View forecast

Ivalo

Inactive

Lapland hub near Lake Inari and wilderness areas

Ivalo, Lapland, Finland

Right now: Aurora activity too low (35%, needs ≥ 50%)

Next opportunity in ~2h

1 opportunity in next 14 days

View forecast

Luosto

Inactive

Fell resort with amethyst mine and dark sky reserve

Luosto, Lapland, Finland

Right now: Aurora activity too low (20%, needs ≥ 50%)

Next opportunity in ~8h

1 opportunity in next 14 days

View forecast

Levi

Inactive

Ski resort with fell-top aurora viewing platforms

Sirkka, Lapland, Finland

Right now: Aurora activity too low (22%, needs ≥ 50%)

Next opportunity in ~7h

2 opportunities in next 14 days

View forecast

Enontekiö

Inactive

Remote wilderness area at the arm of Finland

Enontekiö, Lapland, Finland

Right now: Aurora activity too low (33%, needs ≥ 50%)

Next opportunity in ~12h

1 opportunity in next 14 days

View forecast

Nellim

Inactive

Wilderness village on Lake Inari's eastern shore

Nellimö, Lapland, Finland

Right now: Aurora activity too low (35%, needs ≥ 50%)

Next opportunity in ~2h

3 opportunities in next 14 days

View forecast

Upcoming Opportunities

When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.

Times shown in Europe/Helsinki
Next opportunity
Northern Lights
Inari
Today · 23:00–03:00 · 4h window
High confidence
95%
Northern Lights
Ivalo
Today · 23:00–03:00
High
Northern Lights
Nellim
Today · 23:00–02:00
High
Northern Lights
Levi
Tomorrow · 04:00–05:00
Medium
Northern Lights
Luosto
Tomorrow · 05:00–08:00
Medium
Northern Lights
Sodankylä
Tomorrow · 06:00–08:00
Medium
+12 more windows in the next 14 days

What's blocking opportunities

72-hour view of conditions preventing matches across 12 locations

Top 4 blocking conditions across 12 of 12 locations
Some blocked
Most blocked
9 Fri
10 Sat
11 Sun
12 Mon
24
06
12
18
24
06
12
18
24
06
12
18
Aurora Activity (≥ 50.0%)
64% blocked
Total Cloud Coverage (≤ 30.0%)
54% blocked
Visibility (≥ 8000.0m)
37% blocked
Solar Elevation (≤ -8.0°)
31% blocked
How to read: Each row shows when a condition blocks opportunities. Stronger red means more locations are affected. These are the top 4 conditions preventing matches across the 72-hour forecast.

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