Finland535 places
Northern Lights in Finland: Where and When to See Them
Parts of Finland lie right under the auroral oval: near Inari the aurora can appear on almost any clear, dark night. Near Inari, September has historically been the best month (37% of nights).
Can you see the northern lights in Finland tonight?
Possibly, if the sky is clear. Tonight's forecast reaches Kp 2.3, enough for the aurora to be visible by eye from 102 towns in Finland after dark, for example Tampere, Oulu and Turku. A camera may also catch it from 21 more towns.
Only in photos tonight
You also need a clear sky and real darkness: each town's page shows its cloud forecast and best hour tonight.
Where the aurora is visible tonight 3-day Kp forecast
Kp forecast: NOAA SWPC, checked every 10 minutes.
Featured destinations
Kp 0 Rovaniemi
Lapland
Kp 0 Inari
Lapland
Kp 0 Ivalo
Lapland
Kp 0 Muonio village
Lapland
Kp 0 Utsjoki parish village
Lapland
Kp 0 Levi
Lapland
Kp 0 Ylläs (Äkäslompolo)
Lapland
Kp 0 Kilpisjärvi
Lapland
Kp 0 Saariselkä
Lapland
Kp 0 Luosto
Lapland
Where the aurora is easiest to see
| Place | Region | Kp needed | Kp for photos | Magnetic latitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oulu | North Ostrobothnia | 0 | 0 | 62.2° |
| Rovaniemi | Lapland | 0 | 0 | 63.7° |
| Tornio | Lapland | 0 | 0 | 63.1° |
| Kemi | Lapland | 0 | 0 | 63.0° |
| Haukipudas parish village | North Ostrobothnia | 0 | 0 | 62.4° |
| Kuusamo | North Ostrobothnia | 0 | 0 | 63.1° |
| Kempele | North Ostrobothnia | 0 | 0 | 62.1° |
| Kiiminki parish village | North Ostrobothnia | 0 | 0 | 62.3° |
Largest cities
Live sightings
Where visitors are reporting the aurora right now. A place climbs with every report and drops again as the reports age.
- …
Latest reports
Live webcams in Finland
Check the sky for yourself with these public cameras. They open on the camera owner's website.
- Kevo all-sky camera (opens in a new tab) All-sky
- Kilpisjärvi all-sky camera (opens in a new tab) All-sky
- Muonio all-sky camera (opens in a new tab) All-sky
- Sodankylä all-sky camera (opens in a new tab) All-sky
- Nyrölä all-sky camera (opens in a new tab) All-sky
- Kilpisjärvi & Levi northern lights live (opens in a new tab) Scenic
- Saariselkä & Lake Inari (opens in a new tab) Scenic
- Levi ski resort (opens in a new tab) Scenic
These cameras belong to their owners — we only link to them. Most show little in daylight or under cloud, and some pause in summer.
Regions of Finland
- UusimaaKp 2.3+ · 29
- PirkanmaaKp 1.7+ · 10
- Southwest FinlandKp 2.3+ · 10
- North OstrobothniaKp 0+ · 10
- Central FinlandKp 1+ · 5
- North SavoKp 0.7+ · 4
- SatakuntaKp 1.7+ · 5
- South OstrobothniaKp 1+ · 8
- Päijät-HämeKp 2+ · 5
- KymenlaaksoKp 2.3+ · 4
- LaplandKp 0+ · 12
- OstrobothniaKp 0.7+ · 4
- North KareliaKp 0.7+ · 4
- Kanta-HämeKp 2+ · 4
- South SavoKp 1.3+ · 3
- South KareliaKp 2+ · 3
- KainuuKp 0.3+ · 2
- Central OstrobothniaKp 0.7+ · 1
Practical information for Finland
- Emergency number
- 112
- Access to land
- Everyman's right (jokamiehenoikeus) lets anyone move about, and camp or stay temporarily, in the countryside regardless of who owns it, without permission. It does not cover yards, cultivated land or other specially designated areas, nor activities that damage nature or disturb others.
- Winter driving
- Winter tyres are mandatory from 1 November to 31 March when weather or road conditions require them. Minimum tread is 3 mm, and since December 2024 non-studded winter tyres need the three-peak mountain snowflake symbol. Studded tyres may be used from 1 November to 31 March or until the Monday after Easter. Fintraffic's Liikennetilanne (Traffic Situation) service shows road conditions and road weather cameras. Road conditions
- Drones
- EU drone rules apply: register as an operator if your drone weighs 250 g or more or carries a camera, keep it in line of sight and stay below 120 m. National authority: https://www.traficom.fi/en/
- Official space-weather service
- Finnish Meteorological Institute: Auroras and space weather · FMI Auroras Now! (all-sky cameras) · ISES RWC Finland (FMI)
- Weather service
- Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI)
- Certified dark-sky places
- Syrjävaara Dark Sky Park
In August 2026 Syrjävaara (Kaavi, North Savo) became Finland's first International Dark Sky Park. It is a 90 ha conservation area set up in 2014.
FMI's aurora page uses its magnetometer network (R-index) to issue yellow alerts (auroras possible) and red alerts (auroras very likely). FMI says the older Auroras Now! service is gradually being replaced by its RWC website.
Compiled from official government, road-authority and weather-service sources. Rules change; check them before you travel.
Questions and answers
Can you see the northern lights in Finland?
Parts of Finland lie right under the auroral oval: near Inari the aurora can appear on almost any clear, dark night.
What Kp do you need to see the aurora in Finland?
Near Inari about Kp 0 is enough. In Helsinki, the largest city, you need about Kp 2.7.
What is the best month to see the aurora in Finland?
Near Inari, September has historically been the best month (37% of nights were clear, dark and active enough), followed by March (37%).
When was the aurora last visible in Finland?
Near Inari the aurora is a regular sight on clear, dark nights. The most recent strong geomagnetic storm there in the dark was on 10 October 2026 (Kp 7.3), one of 754 storm nights since 1995.