Aurora Forecast in Iceland Tonight and this Weekend
A Geomagnetic Storm is on the way! Normally with a storm warning in this country we plan on Netflix and chill. But with this storm on the way we charge our camera batteries and make hot cocoa to go!
We expect solar wind speeds to reach up to 650km/s. Geomagnetic activity could therefore reach a G1 or even G2 storm conditions.
That means the forecast is on Kp5 and Kp6 this weekend. That is a lot, even though the Kp scale is 0-9, as rarely does the forecast go over 3, very rarely over 5 and almost never does it go to 8 or 9.
Aurora Forecast in Iceland Tonight and this Weekend
Below is a brief overview of the Aurora Forecast in Iceland Tonight. Bear in mind that a forecast, like weather, is a living thing, not a sneak peek into future. The forecast can, and most probably will, change from now until darkness tonight even. Make sure you check back regularly.
The images below are screenshots taken of our cloud cover forecasts as they were today.
Purple: low level clouds
Orange/red: mid level clouds
Green: high level clouds
Low and mid level clouds are the biggest concern. High level clouds can be thin and, especially with strong activity, Auroras can be seen through them. They can be annoying for photographers though.
No Moonlight pollution! The light from the Moon is in itself a light pollutant and can wash out mild Auroras. In photography, depending how strong the light is, Moonlight can nicely light up your foreground but just as easily make your night time photo look like it was taken during daytime.
Once on the road looking for a clear sky, your best tool is the Satellite Clouds image (click the tab above the cloud cover, on the front page). When you find a clear sky there is no need to look further, now you start waiting. The Auroras can happen as quickly as lighting. Keep your eyes peeled.
What time are the Northern Lights most likely to appear?
Lady Aurora can do her dance day or night. Basically, as long as you have darkness and a clear sky you have a fair shot at seeing some of her awesome moves. Once she stops don’t be fooled as she can re-appear just as fast as she disappears.
Should you go on your own or join a tour?
If conditions are perfect, or if you are very lucky or if you are happy reading the weather you can do well on your own. If you do venture out on your own in a vehicle, always check the Safe Travel and Safe websites first.
Should you want to maximise your chances of a sighting, perhaps have your photo taken under the lights, and/or soak in the wisdom of a professional Northern Lights hunter you may want to book a tour.
Tonight, Thursday 26. September 2019
Tonight’s forecast is for partly cloudy skies in the SW and W. Combined with a Kp3 forecast before midnight it doesn’t look half bad for Aurora hunting. Activity of 2 most often produces very beautiful Northern Lights displays over Iceland due to the island’s location under the aurora oval.
Tomorrow, Friday 27. September 2019
SW and S look best, but the rest of the country could well clear up. N, NE and Westfjords look least feasible. However, with a Kp5 forecast we can make do with more cloud cover than on lower Kp forecast nights. Why? Because the higher the Kp number, the higher on the horizon, and overhead, the lights can be expected to be seen. Therefore, and with more activity, we need fewer and smaller gaps in the clouds to have a chance of a viewing.
Saturday 28. September 2019
NE and a part of the South coast look least feasible, but again: with a Kp5 forecast we can make do with more cloud cover than on lower Kp forecast nights.
Sunday 29. September 2019
Still too early to reasonably predict cloud cover, but we are optimistic the clouds will behave. And aurora activity is expected to stay strong.
HAPPY HUNTING! Tag us in your photos on Instagram: aurora_forecast_iceland and on Facebook: Aurora Forecast Iceland.
