Aurora Forecast Makes Seeing the Iceland Northern Lights Easier

There is nothing worse than going to see the Iceland Northern Lights and then the sky remaining painfully clear. Hence, a frequently asked question is when and how you can see the lights. Thanks to the Icelandic Met Office’s Aurora Forecast, you can now more easily embark on your own Northern Lights hunting expedition.

The Iceland Northern Lights are also known as Aurora Borealis, taken from the Latin word ‘aurora’ which means sunrise, as well as being the name of the Roman goddess of dawn. Aurora is a display of natural light in the sky and is caused by the collision of solar wind and magnetospheric charged particles with high altitude atmospheres. For many just viewing this phenomenon is a life-long dream, so the ability to predict when the Northern Lights are set to occur is extremely welcomed.

The Aurora Forecast offers a five day forecast that should help you find the best time to see the beautiful event. However, there are other forecast models available, which include the most reliable 1-4 hours short term forecast, the medium forecast of 3-5 days and the 2 week long term forecast. The Icelandic Met Office also includes a cloud coverage forecast, information about the sunrise and sunset. This is all highly essential information when it comes to seeing the Lights, as cloud cover and brightness are important factors for the quality of any Aurora display.

There are other tips that will help ensure you get a chance to see the sky come alive with dancing green and red lights. It is generally agreed that the stunning beauty of the Northern Lights is most vivid around the spring and autumn equinoxes, hence the official Aurora season in Iceland being from October to March. If you wish to be even more specific, the time frame deemed to be most conducive to aurora activity is between 10 pm and 3 am but, like with any aspect of nature, Iceland Northern Lights do not occur on schedule, so this cannot be said with any certainty – they have been known to occur with only 30 minutes warning.

It is also recommended that you choose a location away from any cities and pollution; the southern region of this beautiful country is deemed to have a higher chance of spotting these glorious light displays, with its sparsely populated regions and statistics show recorded sightings of up to 80% across 3 nights. Alongside all the other charms of Iceland, northern lights holidays look set to become even more popular thanks to this helpful online tool.

Abigail Collins is the director of Aurora Nights, a company offering a select range of once in a lifetime Iceland Northern Lights holidays in Swedish Lapland and Iceland, with accommodation including the fabulous Ice Hotel. Aurora Nights is part of Weekend a la Carte, a family-run company with vast in-depth knowledge based on their extensive travels to the region of the Aurora Borealis and passionate about giving superb client service.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.