Guide · Travel time

Best Time to See the Northern Lights in Tromsø

From late August to early April it is dark enough at night. Which month suits you depends on how much darkness, daylight, and cold you want.

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Editorial tromsonordlichter.deUpdated on October 2, 20268 min read15 sources

Northern light safari bus at night The Tour for This Guide Tromsø: Northern Lights safari with guides and photos 4.6 (8,349 reviews) 6 hoursGuide bookable in GermanProfessional photo includedUnlimited option from$61per person Check availabilityFree cancellation up to 24 hours in advance

In short

01Which month
Autumn for milder evenings, December and January for the longest nights, February and March for more daylight around them
02Season
End of August to early April1
03Longest darkness
Polar night, roughly November 27 to January 152
04Best Time
Mostly between about 8 PM and 2 AM1
05Summer
No northern lights: midnight sun from about May 20 to July 223

The season: End of August to early April

The northern lights season in Tromsø runs from late August to early April: in the region you can see the northern lights then, whenever the sky is dark and clear enough.1 Tromsø sits directly under the northern lights oval, the ring of auroras above the geomagnetic North Pole.9 There is rarely a shortage of activity here. Darkness and clouds decide your evening.

And in summer? The question does not even arise. From about May 20 to July 22, the midnight sun shines in Tromsø,3 and without a dark sky the lights remain invisible.

The northern lights year

From the first to the last dark night

  1. End of August

    The season begins

    From now on it can be dark enough at night for northern lights.1

  2. November 27

    The polar night begins

    The sun stays below the horizon.2

  3. January 15

    The sun returns

    End of the polar night.2

  4. February 11 to 20, 2027

    Northern Lights Festival

    The northern lights festival in Tromsø (Nordlysfestivalen) takes place.6

  5. Early April

    The season ends

    The nights become too bright for northern lights.1

  6. May 20 to July 22

    Midnight sun

    Bright around the clock, no northern lights.3

Polar night or late winter?

The darkness lasts longest during the polar night, roughly from November 27 to January 15.2 The sun then does not rise; in the middle of December and January the climate series shows zero hours of sun above the horizon.7 For anyone looking for northern lights in Tromsø in December, this makes things easy: the sky is already dark by afternoon.

In February and March daylight returns. Around mid-March the sun is above the horizon for roughly eleven hours.7 You then have time for daytime excursions and still a long night. The northern lights are most active mostly between about 8 PM and 2 AM,1 so plan your evenings so that you are outside during this window.

Climate data

Darkness and precipitation, month by month

Hours without sunDays with precipitationNorthern Lights Season
Jan: 24 h without sun, 12 days with precipitation 24 JanFeb: 17.3 h without sun, 10 days with precipitation 17 FebMar: 13 h without sun, 11 days with precipitation 13 MarApr: 8.5 h without sun, 9 days with precipitation 9 AprMay: 3.1 h without sun, 7 days with precipitation 3 MayJun: 0 h without sun, 7 days with precipitation 0 JunJul: 0 h without sun, 8 days with precipitation 0 JulAug: 6.5 h without sun, 9 days with precipitation 7 AugSep: 11.2 h without sun, 12 days with precipitation 11 SepOct: 15.6 h without sun, 13 days with precipitation 16 OctNov: 21.2 h without sun, 11 days with precipitation 21 NovDec: 24 h without sun, 12 days with precipitation 24 Dec
Hours without sun at the midpoint of the month and days with at least 2.5 mm of precipitation. NOAA, Tromsø station, 1991 to 2020.7

Month by Month

The Twelve Months at a Glance

MonthSun (h)Without Sun (h)High / LowPrecipitation DaysNorthern Lights
Jan024-1 / -5 °C12ja
Feb6.717.3-1 / -6 °C10ja
Mar11131 / -4 °C11ja
Apr15.58.54 / -2 °C9until early April
May20.93.19 / 2 °C7no
Jun24013 / 6 °C7no
Jul24016 / 9 °C8no
Aug17.56.515 / 8 °C9from late August
Sep12.811.211 / 5 °C12ja
Oct8.415.65 / 1 °C13ja
Nov2.821.22 / -2 °C11ja
Dec0240 / -4 °C12ja

Sunshine hours at the midpoint of the month, temperatures as the average of daily highs and lows, precipitation days with at least 2.5 mm. NOAA 1991 to 2020.7 Season according to Visit Tromsø.1

Three Time Windows

Autumn, Polar Night, or Late Winter

Northern Lights over Tromsø, Autumn Season Start

Autumn

September to October

Without Sun
11 to 16 hrs
High / Low
11 / 5 °C to 5 / 1 °C
Precipitation Days
12 to 13
Particularly
Season from late August
Check dates
Northern Lights over Tromsø, Polar Night Longest Nights

Polar Night

December to January

Without Sun
24 hrs
High / Low
0 / -4 °C to -1 / -5 °C
Precipitation Days
12
Particularly
27 November to 15 January
Check dates
Northern Lights over Tromsø, Late Winter With Festival

Late Winter

February to March

Without Sun
13 to 17 hrs
High / Low
-1 / -6 °C to 1 / -4 °C
Precipitation Days
10 to 11
Particularly
Northern Lights Festival 11 to 20 February 2027
Check dates

Decision helper

Which time period suits you?

Choose what matters most to you.

December or January

During the polar night the sun does not rise; you can already look out for them in the afternoon.2

February or March

In mid-March the sun is above the horizon for about eleven hours, and the night remains long.7

February 2027

The Northern Lights Festival runs from 11 to 20 February 2027.6

September or October

The season starts at the end of August.1

No northern lights

From about 20 May to 22 July the midnight sun shines.3

The northern lights can be visible in the Tromsø region from late August to early April, whenever the sky is dark and clear enough.

Visit TromsøOfficial tourism organization of the Tromsø regionTranslated from English · Source 1

Clouds: the real enemy

A cloud cover renders even the strongest northern lights useless. The Tromsø station records on average 13 days with at least 2.5 mm of precipitation in October, 10 in February.7 No winter month is reliably dry; the differences are small.

That is why some northern lights tours from Tromsø head inland or all the way to Finland when clouds are about, where the drier continental climate often offers clearer skies.5 The northern lights safari on this page also offers an Unlimited option: you join as many times during your stay as needed until you see the lights.

Map

Where you see the northern lights

In the city there are darker spots; when it is cloudy, the search goes out into the countryside.

Map of Tromsø with three northern lights spots 1Telegrafbukta2Prestvannet3Storsteinen
In Tromsø
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Map of the Tromsø region to the Finnish border Clouds toward Finland Tromsø 4Grøtfjord5Kilpisjärvi (Finland)
Around Tromsø
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
  1. 1
    Telegrafbukta

    Bay on the south side of the island Tromsøya; a place for northern lights on a clear winter evening.12

  2. 2
    Prestvannet

    Lake in the middle of the island and one of the darker spots in the city from which northern lights can be seen.13

  3. 3
    Fjellheisen, Storsteinen

    The cable car takes you up to 421 m above sea level in four minutes; the operator advertises the view of the city and the northern lights.11

  4. 4
    Grøtfjord on Kvaløya

    When the evenings get dark from late summer onward, a good place to watch for northern lights.14

  5. 5
    Kilpisjärvi, Finland

    In case of cloud cover some tours go inland or to Finland, where the sky is often clearer.5 By bus it is about 3.5 hours.15

The Practical Stuff

Included, bring, not included

01

Included with the safari

  • Pro photo from your evening
  • Guide and photographer
  • Bus or minibus ride
  • Toilet on the bus, not with the small group option
  • Thermal suit for rent, included in the small group
  • Campfire, weather permitting
  • Hot drinks: cocoa, coffee, tea
  • Chairs
02

Bring

  • Woolen underwear as a base layer10
  • Warm, dry sweaters and jacket10
  • Warm shoes10
  • Gloves, scarf, and hat10
03

Not included

  • Winter boots, gloves, beanies, and scarves
  • Tripod
  • Full meals
  • Not suitable for children under 5 years

Cost calculator

What does your northern lights evening cost?

Choose a tour and the number of people.

people 2

Total from$122

from per person $61

Check availabilityfree cancellation

Departure prices according to GetYourGuide, converted at the ECB reference rate. The exact price is shown when you book.

Video

Documentary: The Hunt for the Northern Lights in Tromsø

The video only loads when you tap Play.

Kp index and forecast

The Kp index measures geomagnetic activity on a scale from 0 to 9.4 For Tromsø the Norwegian Space Weather Centre NOSWE publishes a short-term forecast as well as forecasts for one hour and for four hours.8

Check the clouds first in the evening and the activity second. A high Kp value helps you little if the sky is overcast.

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You ask,we answer.

Which months are best for the northern lights?

From late August to early April. Then it is dark enough at night. Whether you see them is decided by the sky in the evening: it must be clear.

Can you see the northern lights in summer?

No. From about May 20 to July 22, the midnight sun shines in Tromsø, and without a dark sky the lights remain invisible.

At what time are the Northern Lights most active?

Mostly between about 8 p.m. and 2 a.m. They can appear throughout the night, but there is no guarantee on any given evening.

Is there a guarantee to see the Northern Lights?

No. The organizer does not refund if the lights fail to appear. With the Unlimited option, you keep joining tours during your stay until you see them.

Where can I find the Northern Lights forecast for Tromsø?

At the Norwegian Space Weather Centre NOSWE. There is a short-term forecast for Tromsø as well as forecasts for one hour and four hours.

Sources

What this guide is based on

  1. 1↩
  2. 2
    Visit TromsøWinter in Tromsø
    ↩
  3. 3↩
  4. 4
    NOAA Space Weather Prediction CenterTips on viewing the aurora
    ↩
  5. 5↩
  6. 6
    NordlysfestivalenNorthern Lights Festival
    ↩
  7. 7↩
  8. 8
    Norwegian Centre for Space WeatherAurora forecast
    ↩
  9. 9↩
  10. 10
    Visit TromsøHow to dress
    ↩
  11. 11↩
  12. 12↩
  13. 13↩
  14. 14
    Visit TromsøGrøtfjord
    ↩
  15. 15↩

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