27 day aurora forecast iceland

The map of Iceland shows forecast of cloud cover. Green areas are cloudy and white areas clear skies.

Northern lights forecast for Iceland. Check the live aurora forecast and weather conditions before your Northern Lights tour in Iceland. Learn more about the Northern Lights forecast and why you should keep in mind that even when the Kp-index indicates moderate to high activity, there is no guarantee that you will witness the Northern Lights. As a natural phenomenon, nature offers no assurances! It's also worth remembering that the lights have been spotted even when the Kp-index was at 0.

27 day aurora forecast iceland

The Icelandic Met Office measures solar activity. Combined with the Cloud Forecast, it will give you clues on where the Northern Lights are likely to be seen. Please note that the forecast changes frequently and is most reliable at about 6 pm of the current day. Focus on the lower and middle clouds, and look for white spots or lighter shades on the map. The 9-point scale on the right side of the page is a simple way to judge your chances of seeing something. This is the most usual forecast. Go out! The magnetic observatory Leirvogur measures the magnetic disturbances above Iceland. When the graphs start moving, solar winds are rattling the magnetic field of the Earth which is usually followed by outbursts of auroral activity. Click on the picture to see the real-time-record. By clicking on the graphic below, you find the daily maximum expected global geomagnetic conditions Kp for the coming 27 days.

This is simply too long a duration to represent the growth and recovery of individual aurora substorms at particular locations, which happen over much shorter timeframes.

Below are some of the most commonly-asked questions by visitors to Iceland regarding aurora-watching. The answers are simply intended to provide practical advice based on my own personal experiences of aurora-watching in Iceland. Please click on one of the questions below to find the relevant information. If you have a question that is not answered here then please consider emailing me. Then I can add your question to the list to help future visitors maximise their chances of seeing the aurora. Back to top of page Q1.

Learning how to read the Northern Lights forecast and be patient is crucial if you want to increase your chances of seeing this elusive phenomenon. No matter how good you are at predicting the Northern Lights, forecasts can change in minutes! Before discussing how to predict the Northern Lights, I recommend that you take a look at our articles on the best time to see Northern Lights and the best places to see Northern Lights. In the Northern Lights forecast, there are three main indicators for tracking the Aurora:. The KP index is the most common way to forecast the Northern Lights, and you can use it both for short-term and long-term Aurora prediction. Here, you can learn a little more about what causes the Northern Lights. The KP-index ranges from and, generally speaking, has the following implications for the Northern Lights forecast :. KP 1 to 3 : Auroras are usually quiet and faint.

27 day aurora forecast iceland

The map of Iceland shows forecast of cloud cover. Green areas are cloudy and white areas clear skies. Move the slider below the cloud cover map, or click directly on a day or time. The forecast of auroral activity at midnight, scale 0 to 9, is shown in the upper-right box. The scale changes in accordance with the date selected under the cloud cover map. Note Magma volume beneath Svartsengi continues to increase.

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Snowy landscapes, spring equinox and milder weather are some of the reasons to choose this time of the year for your Icelandic holiday. Aurora activity, sun and moon - Aurora forecast: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. Heavy processing results in end images that may not accurately represent what was visible by eye, which, while a matter of personal choice, does tend to unrealistically raise people' expectations of what they will see themselves. Green areas are cloudy and white areas clear skies. Find out more here. The Kp values are generated as summarised global 3-hr measurements of K a measure of how much geomagnetic disturbance there is at a particular location. However, between and there are strong fluctuations in the data which are indicative of changes in the magnetic field strength. By using these observations we are able to create a Northern Lights forecasts based on numerical simulations and forecast models. Naked eye views of auroras at those times will also require reasonably strong activity in order to beat the twilight skies. The higher the activity index Kp number , the more chances you have to witness the mesmerizing Aurora Borealis. The Icelandic Met Office measures solar activity. How do I know if it is an aurora or not? Imagine this: You just made it in the subarctic region, right under the auroral oval.

Northern lights forecast for Iceland.

At the same time in Iceland the aurora may be located more towards the southern horizon rather than overhead. Peak times for activity are often between and , but the aurora can certainly be active earlier or later than that if it is dark enough. Consequently, a negative southerly Bz value such as -1 nT means a much higher chance of aurora than a northerly one, and the more negative the value the greater the potential for aurora. If it is sufficiently dark in Iceland then auroras could potentially be visible at any time. A magnetometer is a device that measures deviations in the Earth's magnetic field which can be indicative of auroral activity. An aurora along the northern horizon, taken in Iceland on 23 October Which is best? How do I know if it is an aurora or not? You are also likely to get the best photography tips on this type of tour remember to ask about that, if photography is your priority. Take a look at this scale to size up your chances of seeing the Northern Lights: : Low, almost no activity. Green areas are cloudy and white areas clear skies. I want to try and photograph the aurora on my phone, can you recommend an app? Icelandic Met Office Although there are plenty of tools with which to track aurora activity, one of the most reliable sources is the Icelandic Meteorological Office. I have seen lots of photographs of extremely colourful aurora in Iceland. Excellent displays of aurora can also occur at any time over the winter between October and February.