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

Utsjoki - Northern Lights - Finnish Lapland

Utsjoki, 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 4 (Unsettled)

Sun Elevation13.4° (Daylight)

Cloud Cover5%

Upcoming Opportunities

When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.

Times shown in Europe/Helsinki

Next opportunity

Good Chance of Aurora

Utsjoki

Today · 20:00–01:00 · 5h window

Medium confidence

43%

🌌Aurora Quality61.9-72.9%

Kp Index: Kp 3 (Quiet)

Sun Elevation: -10.1° (Nautical twilight)

Cloud Cover: 8%

Excellent Chance of Aurora

Utsjoki

Mon, Mar 23 · 21:00–04:00

🌌Aurora Quality:80-95%

Low

Excellent Chance of Aurora at Dawn

Utsjoki

Tue, Mar 24 · 04:00–05:00

🌌Aurora Quality:89.7%

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

6matching 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
Sat, Mar 14
15:00	0%	13°	100%	4.5%	24134m
16:00	0%	9.2°	100%	4.8%	24135m
17:00	0%	4.8°	71%	4.9%	24134m
18:00	0%	0.14°	71%	5%	24134m
19:00	0%	-5.5°	67%	5.1%	24135m
20:00	72%	-10°	70%	19%	24134m
21:00	0%	-15°	73%	100%	24134m
22:00	0%	-19°	76%	100%	24135m
23:00	0%	-21°	75%	100%	24134m
Sun, Mar 15
24:00	0%	-22°	72%	100%	24135m
01:00	0%	-22°	74%	100%	24135m
02:00	0%	-20°	100%	100%	24134m
03:00	0%	-17°	100%	100%	24134m
04:00	0%	-13°	100%	100%	24135m
05:00	0%	-8.8°	100%	100%	24134m
06:00	0%	-3.7°	100%	100%	24135m
07:00	0%	1.7°	100%	100%	24135m
08:00	0%	6.4°	0%	100%	24134m
09:00	0%	11°	0%	100%	24135m
10:00	0%	14°	0%	100%	24135m
11:00	0%	17°	100%	100%	24135m
12:00	0%	18°	100%	100%	24135m
13:00	0%	18°	100%	49%	24134m
14:00	0%	16°	87%	7.8%	24134m
15:00	0%	13°	87%	5%	24135m
16:00	0%	9.6°	87%	8.3%	24135m
17:00	0%	5.1°	75%	17%	24135m
18:00	0%	0.43°	75%	5.1%	24134m
19:00	0%	-5.1°	75%	7.2%	23792m
20:00	68%	-10°	56%	7.7%	23773m
21:00	73%	-15°	56%	8%	23773m
22:00	73%	-18°	56%	7.7%	23773m
23:00	73%	-21°	56%	9.5%	23773m
Mon, Mar 16
24:00	62%	-22°	56%	28%	18177m
01:00	51%	-22°	56%	38%	17126m
02:00	0%	-20°	87%	51%	10993m
03:00	0%	-17°	87%	85%	3656m
04:00	0%	-13°	87%	90%	2216m
05:00	0%	-8.4°	87%	98%	1186m
06:00	0%	-3.3°	87%	97%	899m
07:00	0%	2°	87%	98%	2761m
08:00	0%	6.8°	65%	94%	7289m
09:00	0%	11°	65%	73%	12935m
10:00	0%	15°	65%	54%	23741m
11:00	0%	17°	48%	8.3%	23934m
12:00	0%	18°	48%	5.6%	23981m
13:00	0%	18°	48%	33%	24134m
14:00	0%	17°	12%	100%	24134m
15:00	0%	14°	12%	100%	24134m
16:00	0%	10°	12%	100%	24135m
17:00	0%	5.4°	56%	100%	24134m
18:00	0%	0.73°	56%	100%	24135m
19:00	0%	-4.8°	56%	100%	24135m
20:00	0%	-9.7°	65%	100%	24134m
21:00	0%	-14°	65%	99%	24134m
22:00	0%	-18°	65%	100%	6679m
23:00	0%	-20°	65%	100%	2324m
Tue, Mar 17
24:00	0%	-21°	65%	100%	2260m
01:00	0%	-21°	65%	100%	1805m
02:00	0%	-20°	56%	100%	2956m
03:00	0%	-17°	56%	100%	6515m
04:00	0%	-13°	56%	100%	2603m
05:00	0%	-8°	65%	100%	23182m
06:00	0%	-2.9°	65%	100%	24135m
07:00	0%	2.4°	65%	100%	24135m
08:00	0%	7.2°	48%	100%	24135m
09:00	0%	12°	48%	100%	24135m
10:00	0%	15°	48%	100%	24135m
11:00	0%	18°	48%	100%	20448m
12:00	0%	19°	48%	100%	24134m
13:00	0%	19°	48%	99%	19571m
14:00	0%	17°	48%	98%	18381m
15:00	0%	14°	48%	100%	2643m
16:00	0%	10°	48%	100%	407m
17:00	0%	5.8°	48%	100%	395m
18:00	0%	1°	48%	99%	729m
19:00	0%	-4.4°	48%	100%	9058m
20:00	53%	-9.4°	48%	29%	24134m
21:00	0%	-14°	48%	52%	19774m
22:00	0%	-17°	48%	76%	15414m
23:00	0%	-20°	12%	100%	11053m
Wed, Mar 18
24:00	0%	-21°	12%	100%	7469m
01:00	0%	-21°	12%	100%	3884m
02:00	0%	-19°	65%	100%	299m
03:00	0%	-16°	65%	100%	8183m
04:00	0%	-12°	65%	100%	16066m
05:00	0%	-7.6°	65%	100%	23950m
06:00	0%	-2.5°	65%	98%	24012m
07:00	0%	2.8°	65%	95%	24073m
08:00	0%	7.6°	65%	93%	24135m
09:00	0%	12°	65%	95%	24135m
10:00	0%	16°	65%	97%	24135m
11:00	0%	18°	65%	100%	24135m
12:00	0%	19°	65%	100%	24135m
13:00	0%	19°	65%	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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