Best month to see the northern lights in Akureyri

Month-by-month viewing quality

Why these months?

Two things decide your odds in Akureyri: darkness and activity. You need real darkness — so the bright midnight-sun months are out no matter how strong the aurora is. On top of that, geomagnetic storms run statistically stronger around the spring and autumn equinoxes (the Russell–McPherron effect), which is why September and October and February and March tend to edge out the dead of winter. Akureyri's season runs september to mid-april.

Akureyri, the "capital of the north," sits at the head of a long fjord and is often clearer than the south coast when Atlantic weather batters Reykjavík. Higher under the oval, too.

Where to stand in Akureyri

The fjordside out toward Hrísey, or up the valley toward Goðafoss; northern Iceland frequently keeps clearer skies than the southwest.

Tours & stays to book