West

Akranes Lighthouse

80%chanceVery good chance tonight

Forecast confidence: Low

Tonight, hour by hour

01:00 · 65% this half hour · Good

Best 00:30–04:00

Tap a time (or use the arrow keys) to see its conditions below. Times are Iceland time.

How the 65% at 01:00 is worked out

Clear view of the sky: 86%; Low and mid-level cloud, fog and rain between you and the aurora.
Aurora bright enough to see: 74%; Activity Kp 3.4 (moderate) · Auroral oval overhead — aurora can fill the sky.

86% × 74% ≈ 65% chance this half hour

Activity: NOAA forecast
Sky: Some town glow — faint aurora may be lost — face away from the lights. Faintest visible aurora ≈ 2 kR (1 kR is about the brightness of the Milky Way).
Camera: no camera evidence.

Feels like 1°C around 01:00
Cool and often windy: bring a warm, windproof jacket.
Fine for a normal car
Roads on the way are reported easily passable. Still allow extra time — it's dark and conditions can change.
Park in the parking area
Never stop on the road or the hard shoulder to look up. Switch off your headlights once parked.

Some glow from nearby towns — face away from the lights; faint aurora may be lost.

Old and new lighthouses on the tip of Akranes, looking across Faxaflói towards Reykjavík.

Setting: Old and new lighthouses looking across the bay.

First time chasing the northern lights?

Look north and be patient. The aurora comes and goes in waves — give it 30 to 60 minutes once you're there.
Let your eyes adjust. Switch off headlights and screens for 15–20 minutes. Faint aurora can look like a pale grey cloud; your phone camera often sees the green first.
Photos: use your phone's night mode and rest it on something steady for a few seconds.
Stay safe. Park only in proper parking areas — never stop on the road or the hard shoulder to look up. Dress for wind and cold.