Sodankylä - Northern Lights - Finnish Lapland
Northern Lights photography conditions - combines aurora activity levels with clear skies and proper darkness for optimal viewing.
No Northern Lights opportunities in the next 14 days
Tip: Scroll down to the 72-hour table to see exactly which condition fails hour by hour.
Upcoming Opportunities
When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.
No opportunities in the next 14 days
See the blocker timeline below to understand which conditions are preventing matches.
What this forecast looks for
Plain-language explanation from the ruleThis 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 hourTime Europe/Helsinki | Solar Elevation ≤ -8.0° | Aurora Activity ≥ 50.0% | Total Cloud Coverage ≤ 30.0% | Visibility ≥ 8000.0m |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Jan 10 | ||||
| 21:00 | -35° | 69% | 89% | 2980m |
| 22:00 | -39° | 69% | 85% | 2720m |
| 23:00 | -43° | 75% | 58% | 2880m |
| Sun, Jan 11 | ||||
| 24:00 | -44° | 100% | 55% | 2860m |
| 01:00 | -44° | 100% | 69% | 3100m |
| 02:00 | -42° | 100% | 79% | 3700m |
| 03:00 | -38° | 100% | 69% | 15800m |
| 04:00 | -33° | 100% | 82% | 24880m |
| 05:00 | -28° | 100% | 51% | 52060m |
| 06:00 | -22° | 100% | 45% | 28600m |
| 07:00 | -16° | 100% | 54% | 36800m |
| 08:00 | -11° | 100% | 94% | 33400m |
| 09:00 | -6.6° | 100% | 99% | 32900m |
| 10:00 | -2.9° | 100% | 98% | 43880m |
| 11:00 | 0.09° | 93% | 97% | 53460m |
| 12:00 | 1.1° | 93% | 99% | 42680m |
| 13:00 | 0.95° | 93% | 99% | 13440m |
| 14:00 | -0.71° | 26% | 99% | 7660m |
| 15:00 | -3.8° | 26% | 100% | 12480m |
| 16:00 | -7.7° | 26% | 100% | 16280m |
| 17:00 | -13° | 26% | 100% | 10940m |
| 18:00 | -18° | 26% | 100% | 16220m |
| 19:00 | -24° | 26% | 99% | 18060m |
| 20:00 | -29° | 70% | 98% | 13660m |
| 21:00 | -35° | 70% | 99% | 11800m |
| 22:00 | -39° | 70% | 99% | 9620m |
| 23:00 | -43° | 81% | 98% | 5780m |
| Mon, Jan 12 | ||||
| 24:00 | -44° | 81% | 100% | 5340m |
| 01:00 | -44° | 81% | 100% | 7420m |
| 02:00 | -42° | 81% | 100% | 11880m |
| 03:00 | -38° | 81% | 99% | 31180m |
| 04:00 | -33° | 81% | 100% | 40920m |
| 05:00 | -28° | 81% | 100% | 50000m |
| 06:00 | -22° | 81% | 100% | 14500m |
| 07:00 | -16° | 81% | 100% | 2340m |
| 08:00 | -11° | 26% | 99% | 1620m |
| 09:00 | -6.4° | 26% | 100% | 1540m |
| 10:00 | -2.7° | 26% | 100% | 1580m |
| 11:00 | 0.21° | 10% | 100% | 1820m |
| 12:00 | 1.3° | 10% | 100% | 2100m |
| 13:00 | 1.1° | 10% | 100% | 2300m |
| 14:00 | -0.47° | 10% | 100% | 2500m |
| 15:00 | -3.6° | 10% | 100% | 2480m |
| 16:00 | -7.6° | 10% | 100% | 2820m |
| 17:00 | -12° | 20% | 100% | 3160m |
| 18:00 | -18° | 20% | 100% | 3460m |
| 19:00 | -23° | 20% | 100% | 3280m |
| 20:00 | -29° | 26% | 100% | 3800m |
| 21:00 | -34° | 26% | 100% | 5400m |
| 22:00 | -39° | 26% | 100% | 5560m |
| 23:00 | -42° | 70% | 100% | 4700m |
| Tue, Jan 13 | ||||
| 24:00 | -44° | 70% | 100% | 4320m |
| 01:00 | -44° | 70% | 100% | 3180m |
| 02:00 | -42° | 100% | 83% | 3360m |
| 03:00 | -38° | 100% | 94% | 8260m |
| 04:00 | -33° | 100% | 95% | 7420m |
| 05:00 | -28° | 100% | 96% | 11280m |
| 06:00 | -22° | 100% | 100% | 11500m |
| 07:00 | -16° | 100% | 100% | 8540m |
| 08:00 | -11° | 100% | 100% | 12780m |
| 09:00 | -6.3° | 100% | 100% | 10600m |
| 10:00 | -2.6° | 100% | 100% | 14720m |
| 11:00 | 0.34° | 100% | 100% | 12800m |
| 12:00 | 1.4° | 100% | 100% | 8380m |
| 13:00 | 1.2° | 100% | 100% | 3860m |
| 14:00 | -0.19° | 100% | 100% | 3200m |
| 15:00 | -3.4° | 100% | 100% | 3180m |
| 16:00 | -7.4° | 100% | 100% | 3560m |
| 17:00 | -12° | 100% | 100% | 4020m |
| 18:00 | -18° | 100% | 100% | 6520m |
| 19:00 | -23° | 100% | 100% | 6640m |
| 20:00 | -29° | 100% | 100% | 5880m |
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