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    Kirkjufell mountain above the Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall on the Snæfellsnes peninsula
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    Northern lights

    Where to look for the northern lights

    When tonight's forecast says it could work, whether you see anything depends on three things you can check: how dark it is, how clear the sky is, and how far you are from street lights. This page covers all three, and where to go.

    Words by Iceland Loop EditorialOctober 2, 20263 min read
    In this guide
    1. 01What the Kp number means
    2. 02When to look
    3. 03Where to look
    4. 04Driving at night in winter
    5. 05How the site helps

    What the Kp number means

    Kp measures how disturbed Earth's magnetic field is, on a scale from 0 to 9, in three-hour blocks. In the evening the auroral oval moves over Iceland, so you don't need a storm.

    • Kp 3 — Aurora possible tonight. Clear skies and a dark spot away from town.
    • Kp 4 — Good chance of aurora tonight. Worth a late drive out of the city.
    • Kp 5 and above — Aurora storm tonight. Visible even from Reykjavík if the sky clears.

    The site shows the banner when the highest Kp forecast for tonight reaches Kp 3.

    When to look

    The season runs from September to mid-April. Before and after that, the nights in Iceland are too bright for the sky to get properly dark.

    The hours are 18:00 to 06:00. Iceland is on UTC all year, so local time and the forecast match. In the evening the aurora moves over Iceland, and activity is usually strongest around the middle of the night.

    Check the clouds before the Kp. Clouds often hide the aurora completely, whatever the Kp says. The Icelandic Met Office cloud map at vedur.is shows cloudy areas in green and clear sky in white, and it splits low and mid-level cloud from high cloud. Moonlight dims a faint display, but on a strong night it lights up the landscape underneath.

    If one part of the country is clear and another isn't, driving towards the clear part is often the best move.

    Where to look

    Near Reykjavík

    • Grótta lighthouse, SeltjarnarnesAbout 6 km from Reykjavík (estimated)It faces the open sea with few lights around, so the northern horizon is clear. The causeway to the lighthouse floods at high tide: stay on the mainland side unless you have checked the tide.
    • Kleifarvatn and Krýsuvík36 km from Reykjavík · ~40 min at a winter paceA lake and a geothermal area on the Reykjanes peninsula, with little light pollution. Check road 42 on umferdin.is before you go.
    • Þingvellir48 km from Reykjavík · ~1 h at a winter pacePaid parking at P1, P2 and P5. Check thingvellir.is for current access before you plan a night visit.

    Further afield

    • Kirkjufell, Snæfellsnes181 km from Reykjavík · ~3 h 40 min at a winter paceAt the edge of Grundarfjörður; in winter the aurora often reflects on the water around the mountain. Watch from below — climbing it in winter is prohibited.
    • Jökulsárlón380 km from Reykjavík · ~7 h 40 min at a winter paceThe glacier lagoon is reachable all year from Route 1. Plan it as an overnight stop, not a night drive: between Kirkjubæjarklaustur and Höfn there is only one fuel station, at Freysnes.
    • Mývatn456 km from Reykjavík · ~9 h 10 min at a winter paceThe north has fewer towns and less light pollution, and the lake has clear winter skies and open views.

    Driving at night in winter

    • Never stop on the road to look up. Pull into a car park or a marked lay-by. Many accidents in Iceland happen when drivers stop in an unsafe spot for the view.
    • Drive to the conditions, not the limit. Winter roads are rarely good enough for the posted speed. Check road conditions at umferdin.is and the weather at vedur.is before you leave, and again before you drive back.
    • Mountain F-roads are usually closed from mid-September until June or July. None of the places above needs one.
    • Headlights on, always. It's the law all year.

    How the site helps

    The banner and the homepage badge appear when tonight's forecast reaches Kp 3, until you dismiss them for the night. The trip planner works out daylight for every stop on your dates, so you can see which evenings are free for a late drive.

    Plan your trip →Iceland in January →

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What Kp do I need to see the northern lights in Iceland?

    Kp 3 is usually enough on a clear, dark night away from lights. Kp 5 or more is a geomagnetic storm, and a display can then be visible even from Reykjavík.

    When is the northern lights season in Iceland?

    From September to mid-April, when the nights are dark enough. From May to mid-August the sky does not get properly dark.

    What time of night is best?

    Between 18:00 and 06:00, with activity usually strongest around the middle of the night. Iceland is on UTC all year.

    Can I see the northern lights from Reykjavík?

    On a strong night, yes. On a normal night, go to a dark spot such as Grótta lighthouse, or drive out of town.

    Is the Kp forecast enough to go?

    No. Check the cloud map at vedur.is first. Clouds often hide the aurora completely, whatever the Kp.

    Sources — checked October 2026