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Rule Northern Lights

Saariselkä - Northern Lights - Finnish Lapland

Saariselka, Lapland, Finland

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

Currently

Real-time conditions
Kp IndexKp 4 (Unsettled)
Sun Elevation-6.0° (Nautical twilight)
Cloud Cover6%

Upcoming Opportunities

When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.

Times shown in Europe/Helsinki
aurora weather icon
Next opportunity
Excellent Chance of Aurora
Saariselkä
Today · 23:00–03:00 · 4h window
Medium confidence
53%
🌌Aurora Quality81.5-94.9%
Kp Index: Kp 5 (Unsettled)
Sun Elevation: -12.0° (Nautical twilight)
Cloud Cover: 8%

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
9matching 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
Fri, Apr 10
22:000%-6.4°100%0.9%24134m
23:0087%-10°100%0.9%24135m
Sat, Apr 11
24:0095%-12°100%4.4%24135m
01:0095%-13°100%5%24135m
02:0095%-13°100%5%24134m
03:0083%-11°84%5%24134m
04:000%-7.8°84%5%24134m
05:000%-3.6°84%5%24134m
06:000%1.6°100%5%24134m
07:000%6.8°100%5%24135m
08:000%12°100%5%24134m
09:000%18°96%5%24134m
10:000%22°96%5%24135m
11:000%26°96%6.9%24134m
12:000%29°96%5%24134m
13:000%30°96%5%24135m
14:000%29°96%5%24135m
15:000%27°62%4.9%24134m
16:000%24°62%5%24134m
17:000%20°62%5%24135m
18:000%14°21%5%24135m
19:000%26%5%24135m
20:000%3.7°31%5%24135m
21:000%-1.4°91%5%24135m
22:000%-6°91%6.4%24135m
23:0082%-9.6°91%6.8%24134m
Sun, Apr 12
24:0095%-12°100%7.8%24134m
01:0090%-13°100%14%24134m
02:0090%-12°100%15%24135m
03:000%-11°21%69%24134m
04:000%-7.4°21%65%24135m
05:000%-3.2°21%63%24135m
06:000%84%62%23273m
07:000%7.2°84%53%24134m
08:000%13°84%49%24135m
09:000%18°84%8.4%24134m
10:000%23°84%6.3%24135m
11:000%27°84%5%24135m
12:000%29°21%7.1%24134m
13:000%30°21%45%24135m
14:000%30°21%42%24135m
15:000%28°11%39%24135m
16:000%24°11%5%24135m
17:000%20°11%5%24135m
18:000%15°7.2%5%24135m
19:000%9.3°7.2%5%24135m
20:000%7.2%5.9%24134m
21:000%-1°7.2%5.9%24134m
22:000%-5.7°7.2%17%24134m
23:0028%-9.3°7.2%7.5%24135m
Mon, Apr 13
24:0044%-12°21%6.8%24135m
01:0029%-13°21%42%24135m
02:0023%-12°21%45%24135m
03:0025%-10°21%41%24135m
04:000%-7.1°21%38%24135m
05:000%-2.8°21%53%24135m
06:000%2.3°62%67%24135m
07:000%7.5°62%50%24134m
08:000%13°62%34%24134m
09:000%18°21%58%24135m
10:000%23°21%69%24135m
11:000%27°21%56%24134m
12:000%30°7.2%35%24135m
13:000%31°7.2%5.5%24134m
14:000%30°7.2%16%24135m
15:000%28°7.2%25%24135m
16:000%25°7.2%27%24135m
17:000%20°7.2%6.6%24135m
18:000%15°7.2%5%24134m
19:000%9.6°7.2%5%24134m
20:000%4.3°7.2%5%24135m
21:000%-0.64°11%5%24135m
22:000%-5.4°11%5%24134m
23:0029%-8.9°11%5%24135m
Tue, Apr 14
24:0036%-11°21%29%24134m
01:0046%-12°21%5.2%24135m
02:0042%-12°21%14%24135m
03:0013%-9.8°11%48%24134m
04:000%-6.7°11%50%24134m
05:000%-2.4°11%52%24135m
06:000%2.6°11%54%24135m
07:000%7.9°11%53%24135m
08:000%13°11%52%24135m
09:000%19°11%51%24135m
10:000%23°11%37%24135m
11:000%27°11%23%24135m
12:000%30°11%9.2%24135m
13:000%31°11%14%24135m
14:000%31°11%18%24135m
15:000%28°11%23%24135m
16:000%25°11%33%18217m
17:000%21°11%43%12298m
18:000%15°11%53%6379m
19:000%10°11%68%12298m
20:000%4.6°11%84%18216m
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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