What conditions does Northern Lights look for?

Aurora Quality: ≥ 50.0%. Solar Elevation: ≤ -8.0°. Aurora Activity: ≥ 50.0%. Total Cloud Coverage: ≤ 30.0%. Visibility: ≥ 8000.0m

How often do conditions match?

There are 3 upcoming opportunity windows in the next 10 days.

More Northern Lights in Finnish Lapland

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Rule Northern Lights

Muonio - Northern Lights - Finnish Lapland

Muonio, Lapland, Finland

Northern Lights photography conditions - combines aurora activity levels with clear skies and proper darkness for optimal viewing.

Currently

Real-time conditions

Aurora Quality

Kp IndexKp 2 (Quiet)

Sun Elevation-23.7° (Astronomical night)

Cloud Cover76%

Upcoming Opportunities

When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.

Times shown in Europe/Helsinki

Next opportunity

Excellent Chance of Aurora

Muonio

Tomorrow · 23:00–02:00 · 3h window

Medium confidence

52%

🌌Aurora Quality95%

Kp Index: Kp 4 (Unsettled)

Sun Elevation: -25.4° (Astronomical night)

Cloud Cover: 5%

Excellent Chance of Aurora

Muonio

Tue, Mar 10 · 02:00–06:00

🌌Aurora Quality:92.4%

Low

Good Chance of Aurora

Muonio

Tue, Mar 10 · 20:00–21:00

🌌Aurora Quality:77.2%

Medium

What this forecast looks for

Plain-language explanation from the rule

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.

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72-hour requirements breakdown

What passed or failed, hour by hour

3matching hours in the next 95 hoursJump to next match

AND logic: all conditions required

Meets requirement

Misses requirement

Time Europe/Helsinki	Aurora Quality ≥ 50.0%	Solar Elevation ≤ -8.0°	Aurora Activity ≥ 50.0%	Total Cloud Coverage ≤ 30.0%	Visibility ≥ 8000.0m
Wed, Mar 4
03:00	0%	-24°	100%	100%	1002m
04:00	0%	-20°	100%	100%	995m
05:00	0%	-15°	82%	100%	263m
06:00	0%	-9.4°	82%	100%	1940m
07:00	0%	-3.7°	0%	100%	7022m
08:00	0%	1.9°	0%	100%	6646m
09:00	0%	6.7°	0%	100%	2446m
10:00	0%	11°	20%	100%	1285m
11:00	0%	14°	8%	100%	1375m
12:00	0%	15°	8%	100%	2887m
13:00	0%	16°	8%	100%	10029m
14:00	0%	14°	8%	100%	24134m
15:00	0%	12°	8%	100%	926m
16:00	0%	7.8°	8%	100%	14718m
17:00	0%	3.2°	11%	33%	24135m
18:00	0%	-2.2°	16%	22%	21936m
19:00	0%	-7.9°	18%	66%	6551m
20:00	0%	-13°	23%	86%	6550m
21:00	0%	-19°	28%	94%	6549m
22:00	0%	-23°	31%	85%	6677m
23:00	0%	-26°	31%	73%	6680m
Thu, Mar 5
24:00	0%	-28°	29%	68%	6547m
01:00	0%	-28°	24%	69%	6547m
02:00	0%	-27°	24%	70%	6547m
03:00	0%	-24°	24%	76%	6549m
04:00	0%	-20°	24%	88%	6547m
05:00	0%	-15°	15%	86%	6549m
06:00	0%	-9°	15%	76%	6548m
07:00	0%	-3.3°	15%	65%	9419m
08:00	0%	2.3°	2.2%	48%	17916m
09:00	0%	7.1°	2.2%	95%	19322m
10:00	0%	11°	2.2%	78%	24135m
11:00	0%	14°	4.2%	33%	24134m
12:00	0%	16°	4.2%	95%	24134m
13:00	0%	16°	4.2%	80%	24134m
14:00	0%	15°	2.2%	100%	24135m
15:00	0%	12°	2.2%	100%	24134m
16:00	0%	8.2°	2.2%	100%	24134m
17:00	0%	3.5°	15%	100%	24134m
18:00	0%	-1.9°	15%	100%	24135m
19:00	0%	-7.6°	15%	100%	24135m
20:00	0%	-13°	15%	100%	24135m
21:00	0%	-18°	15%	100%	24134m
22:00	0%	-23°	15%	100%	597m
23:00	0%	-26°	71%	100%	1094m
Fri, Mar 6
24:00	0%	-28°	71%	100%	24134m
01:00	0%	-28°	71%	100%	24135m
02:00	0%	-26°	100%	100%	24134m
03:00	0%	-23°	100%	100%	24135m
04:00	0%	-19°	100%	100%	24135m
05:00	0%	-14°	100%	100%	24134m
06:00	0%	-8.7°	100%	84%	24134m
07:00	0%	-3°	100%	100%	24031m
08:00	0%	2.7°	71%	100%	24135m
09:00	0%	7.5°	71%	100%	24134m
10:00	0%	12°	71%	100%	24135m
11:00	0%	15°	71%	100%	24134m
12:00	0%	16°	71%	100%	24134m
13:00	0%	16°	71%	100%	24135m
14:00	0%	15°	27%	100%	24134m
15:00	0%	12°	27%	100%	24134m
16:00	0%	8.5°	27%	100%	24135m
17:00	0%	3.9°	20%	100%	24134m
18:00	0%	-1.5°	20%	100%	23820m
19:00	0%	-7.2°	20%	100%	24134m
20:00	49%	-13°	27%	5.2%	24135m
21:00	49%	-18°	27%	0.3%	24135m
22:00	49%	-22°	27%	4.9%	24134m
23:00	95%	-25°	100%	4.9%	24134m
Sat, Mar 7
24:00	95%	-27°	100%	4.9%	24134m
01:00	95%	-27°	100%	5%	24135m
02:00	0%	-26°	10%	62%	24135m
03:00	0%	-23°	10%	70%	24135m
04:00	0%	-19°	10%	100%	24135m
05:00	0%	-14°	10%	100%	7298m
06:00	0%	-8.3°	10%	100%	24135m
07:00	0%	-2.6°	10%	100%	24134m
08:00	0%	3°	10%	100%	24135m
09:00	0%	7.8°	10%	100%	17195m
10:00	0%	12°	10%	100%	10255m
11:00	0%	15°	10%	100%	3315m
12:00	0%	17°	10%	100%	5992m
13:00	0%	17°	10%	100%	8668m
14:00	0%	15°	10%	100%	11345m
15:00	0%	13°	10%	100%	15608m
16:00	0%	8.9°	10%	100%	19872m
17:00	0%	4.2°	10%	100%	24135m
18:00	0%	-1.1°	10%	100%	24135m
19:00	0%	-6.9°	10%	100%	24135m
20:00	0%	-12°	10%	100%	24135m
21:00	0%	-18°	10%	100%	24135m
22:00	0%	-22°	10%	100%	24135m
23:00	0%	-25°	10%	100%	24135m
Sun, Mar 8
24:00	0%	-27°	10%	100%	24135m
01:00	0%	-27°	10%	100%	24135m

How to read: colored cells show whether each predicate requirement is met; highlighted rows mean the full rule matched (an opportunity).

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