Best month to see the northern lights in Tromsø

Month-by-month viewing quality

Why these months?

Two things decide your odds in Tromsø: 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. Tromsø's season runs late september to early april.

Tromsø is the most popular aurora base on Earth — a real city above the Arctic Circle with an airport, hotels, and dozens of guided "aurora chase" minibuses that drive you to wherever the sky is clearest that night. Sitting almost directly under the auroral oval, it sees the lights on a large share of clear, dark nights even when solar activity is only modest.

Where to stand in Tromsø

Coastal cloud is the enemy here, so the best move is a guided chase that drives inland (toward Finland or the Lyngen Alps) to find a clear patch. On a clear night in town, head away from the centre to Telegrafbukta beach or up the Fjellheisen cable car.

Tours & stays to book