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Rule Northern Lights

Northern Lights - Iceland

Iceland, Iceland

Aurora forecast for Iceland's volcanic landscapes. Track Northern Lights at Kirkjufell, Jökulsárlón, Þingvellir.

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.

Iceland offers aurora photography with landscapes found nowhere else on Earth - volcanic craters, glacier lagoons, black sand beaches, and waterfalls all under the northern lights.

What makes Iceland special:

  • Volcanic landscapes - Lava fields, geothermal areas, and dramatic geology create otherworldly compositions
  • Glacier lagoon - Jökulsárlón's floating icebergs reflect aurora in ways unique to Iceland
  • Iconic foregrounds - Kirkjufell, Reynisdrangar sea stacks, and Skógafoss are bucket-list shots
  • Ring Road access - Most spots accessible via paved roads, making aurora chasing practical

Aurora season runs September through March. Iceland's changeable weather means cloud gaps can open anywhere - our forecast helps you identify which locations have the best chance tonight.

aurora weather icon
Next potential opportunity
Höfn
Hofn, East, Iceland
Starting in ~16m
Low confidence

Location status

0 of 13 locations currently active

Kirkjufell

Inactive

Iceland's most photographed mountain

Right now: Total Cloud Coverage too high (71%, ≤ 30.0%)

View forecast

Kirkjufell

Inactive

Iceland's most photographed mountain

Grundarfjordur, West, Iceland

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Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon

Inactive

Glacier lagoon with icebergs reflecting northern lights

Right now: Solar Elevation too high (-2°, ≤ -8.0°)

Next opportunity in ~9 days 4h

1 opportunity in next 10 days

View forecast

Vík

Inactive

Black sand beach and Reynisdrangar sea stacks

Vik, South, Iceland

Right now: Solar Elevation too high (-1°, ≤ -8.0°)

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Thingvellir

Inactive

UNESCO site where tectonic plates meet

Laugarvatn, South, Iceland

Right now: Solar Elevation too high (-0°, ≤ -8.0°)

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Skógafoss

Inactive

Iconic waterfall with aurora backdrop potential

Skógafoss, South, Iceland

Right now: Solar Elevation too high (-1°, ≤ -8.0°)

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Mývatn

Inactive

Volcanic lake region with geothermal features

Reykjahlíð, Northeast, Iceland

Right now: Visibility too low (7km, ≥ 8000.0m)

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Húsavík

Inactive

Whale watching capital with northern exposure

Norðurþing, Northeast, Iceland

Right now: Visibility too low (121.0, ≥ 8000.0m)

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Akureyri

Inactive

Northern capital with Eyjafjörður fjord views

Akureyri, Northeast, Iceland

Right now: Visibility too low (7km, ≥ 8000.0m)

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Snaefellsnes

Inactive

Peninsula with glacier, beaches and mountain backdrops

Stykkisholmur, West, Iceland

Right now: Total Cloud Coverage too high (70%, ≤ 30.0%)

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Seydisfjordur

Inactive

Colorful east fjord town with mountain reflections

Seyðisfjörður, East, Iceland

Right now: Total Cloud Coverage too high (54%, ≤ 30.0%)

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Reykjavik

Inactive

Capital with Grótta lighthouse and easy dark sky access

Reykjavik, Capital Region, Iceland

Right now: Total Cloud Coverage too high (62%, ≤ 30.0%)

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Höfn

Inactive

Gateway to Vatnajökull glacier and Diamond Beach

Hofn, East, Iceland

Right now: Solar Elevation too high (-3°, ≤ -8.0°)

Next opportunity in ~16m

1 opportunity in next 10 days

View forecast

Upcoming Opportunities

When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.

Times shown in Atlantic/Reykjavik
aurora weather icon
Next opportunity
Good Chance of Aurora
Höfn
Today · 19:00–21:00 · 2h window
Medium confidence
44%
🌌Aurora Quality63.8-70.7%
Kp Index: Kp 4 (Unsettled)
OVATION Probability: 39%
Sun Elevation: -15.8° (Astronomical twilight)
Cloud Cover: 7%
aurora weather icon
Excellent Chance of Aurora
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
Wed, Feb 25 · 23:00–24:00
🌌Aurora Quality:80.8%
Medium

What's blocking opportunities

72-hour view of conditions preventing matches across 13 locations

Top 5 blocking conditions across 12 of 13 locations
Some blocked
Most blocked
15 Sun
16 Mon
17 Tue
18 Wed
19 Thu
24
06
12
18
24
06
12
18
24
06
12
18
24
06
12
Aurora Quality (≥ 50.0%)
92% blocked
Aurora Activity (≥ 50.0%)
85% blocked
Total Cloud Coverage (≤ 30.0%)
83% blocked
Solar Elevation (≤ -8.0°)
46% blocked
Visibility (≥ 8000.0m)
44% blocked
How to read: Each row shows when a condition blocks opportunities. Stronger red means more locations are affected. These are the top 5 conditions preventing matches across the 72-hour forecast.

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