Lapland, FinlandMagnetic latitude 65.3°Population 2,321244 m above sea level
Northern lights in Muonio village
Muonio village sits right under the auroral oval: on clear, dark nights the aurora is often overhead, even when activity is quiet. Clouds matter far more than the Kp number here.
Right now
It is still light here. Darkness starts at 19:41.
Magnetometer at Muonio (10 km away): low magnetic activity.
Updates every minute while this page is open. Ground data: FMI MIRACLE R-index (CC BY 4.0).
Tonight in one minute
Yes — good chance tonight
- Solar activity Strong enough: Kp 2.3 expected, 0 needed here.
- Sky Mostly clear (36% cloud).
- Darkness Dark from 19:41 to 06:40.
What to do: Go somewhere dark around 00:00, give your eyes 15 minutes to adjust and look north, low over the horizon.
Monday 19 October — Good chance · Kp 2.3 · best around 04:30 · Forecast cloud: 31%. · Reliability: good
Each box is one night: the colour shows the chance, the number the expected Kp. Tap a night for details.
📅 Add these nights to your calendar — it updates itself (.ics)
How far ahead can the northern lights be forecast?
- Minutes to an hour: satellites 1.5 million km away measure the solar wind before it reaches Earth. This is the surest warning — the “Right now” box uses it.
- 1–3 days: when the Sun throws out a cloud of particles, it takes one to three days to arrive. NOAA's 3-hourly forecast covers these nights; the timing can still be off by a few hours.
- 4–27 days: the Sun turns once every 27 days, and regions that disturbed Earth's field last time often do it again. NOAA's 27-day outlook gives this rough trend — new eruptions are not in it yet.
Tonight
Updated 16:30 local time
Excellent chance
Best around 00:00. Forecast max Kp 2.3 (this place needs 0), average cloud 36%.
- Dark enough
- 19:41 – 06:40
- Sunset
- 17:39 · sunrise 08:43
- Moon
- 49% · ↑ 18:39 · ↓ 22:07
- Kp neededKp index: a 0–9 measure of geomagnetic activity. The higher it is, the further from the poles the aurora reaches.
- Kp 0
- Look towards
- north (356°)
Cloud layers and weather
Low cloud blocks the aurora completely. Thin high cloud often still lets a bright aurora shine through, so a sky with only high cloud is worth a look.
| Time | Sun, 19 | Sun, 22 | Mon, 01 | Mon, 04 | Mon, 19 | Mon, 22 | Tue, 01 | Tue, 04 | Tue, 19 | Tue, 22 | Wed, 01 | Wed, 04 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low cloud | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 1% | 1% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Mid cloud | 15% | 1% | 25% | 54% | 100% | 97% | 84% | 60% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| High cloud | 44% | 49% | 34% | 31% | 100% | 89% | 30% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 2% |
| Temperature | 1 °C | 0 °C | -1 °C | 0 °C | 8 °C | 7 °C | 6 °C | 5 °C | 4 °C | 1 °C | 1 °C | 0 °C |
| Feels like | -2 °C | -4 °C | -4 °C | -4 °C | 4 °C | 4 °C | 4 °C | 3 °C | 2 °C | -1 °C | -2 °C | -3 °C |
| Wind | 3 m/s | 3 m/s | 3 m/s | 4 m/s | 7 m/s | 6 m/s | 4 m/s | 3 m/s | 2 m/s | 2 m/s | 2 m/s | 3 m/s |
Cloud layers and weather: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0).
Clearer skies nearby tonight
Tonight's cloud forecast is similar in every direction within 100 km (31% here), so driving is unlikely to help.
MET Norway forecast at 24 points within 100 km, averaged over the dark hours. Check roads and conditions before driving.
Score = activity (NOAA Kp and OVATION) × clear sky (MET Norway) × darkness × moonlight. Methodology
Seeing it right now?
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Live webcams near Muonio village
Check the sky for yourself: public cameras within 300 km. They open on the camera owner's website.
- Muonio all-sky camera (opens in a new tab) All-sky
- Ylläs (opens in a new tab) Scenic
- Levi ski resort (opens in a new tab) Scenic
- Kiruna all-sky camera (opens in a new tab) All-sky
- Sodankylä all-sky camera (opens in a new tab) All-sky
These cameras belong to their owners — we only link to them. Most show little in daylight or under cloud, and some pause in summer.
What you would see from Muonio village
Facing north. Bands show where the aurora sits at two activity levels.
| Kp | What you see | Lower edge | Ray tops | Distance to the aurora |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Visible to the north | 37° | 55° | 133 km |
| 2 | Overhead and all around | – | – | – |
| 3 | Overhead, and also to the south | – | – | – |
| 4 | Overhead, and also to the south | – | – | – |
| 5 | Overhead, and also to the south | – | – | – |
| 6 | Overhead, and also to the south | – | – | – |
| 7 | Overhead, and also to the south | – | – | – |
| 8 | Overhead, and also to the south | – | – | – |
| 9 | Overhead, and also to the south | – | – | – |
The Kp scale in plain words
Kp is a 0–9 score for how strongly the Earth's magnetic field is being shaken by the solar wind. The higher it goes, the further from the poles the northern lights reach. Kp 0–2 is a quiet night; Kp 5 and above is a geomagnetic storm.
- Kp 0–2 Quiet next 24 h eye in Muonio village Only under the auroral oval: northern Norway, Swedish and Finnish Lapland, Iceland, Alaska, northern Canada.
- Kp 3 Unsettled Bright in the Arctic; low on the horizon in central Scandinavia and southern Iceland.
- Kp 4 Active Overhead in the Arctic; low in the north from southern Norway, Sweden, Finland and northern Scotland.
- Kp 5 Minor storm (G1) Scotland, southern Scandinavia, the Baltic states, the northern US states and southern Canada.
- Kp 6 Moderate storm (G2) Northern England, Denmark, northern Germany and Poland, the US Midwest — often clearer in photos than to the eye.
- Kp 7 Strong storm (G3) Most of the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Czechia; red glow in photos from France and the northern Alps.
- Kp 8 Severe storm (G4) Central Europe to the eye; red sky in photos from northern Italy, Spain, the Balkans and Turkey's Black Sea coast.
- Kp 9 Extreme storm (G5) Seen across Europe and the US; in photos as far south as the Mediterranean, Turkey and North Africa (May 2024).
Light pollution
Rural to suburban. Some sky glow from nearby lights. Moderate displays are fine; faint ones are easier a few kilometres out.
Estimate from NASA VIIRS night-light data (sky-glow model within 50 km). Check access and private land before you go.
Hills and mountains
The horizon towards the north is open (terrain below 0.8°), so low aurora is not blocked.
From elevation data (AWS Terrain Tiles) along seven lines of sight up to 30 km.
Best months to see the aurora in Muonio village
Share of nights 2005–2025 that were dark, active enough here and mostly clear.
March has been the best month (36% of nights), followed by September (35%).
| Month | Good nights | Clear nights | Darkness | Low / high |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September | 35% | 35% | 6.0 h | 4° / 10°C |
| October | 23% | 23% | 10.4 h | -3° / 1°C |
| November | 23% | 23% | 13.8 h | -10° / -5°C |
| December | 16% | 16% | 15.3 h | -14° / -8°C |
| January | 24% | 24% | 14.5 h | -16° / -10°C |
| February | 28% | 28% | 11.5 h | -15° / -9°C |
| March | 36% | 36% | 8.0 h | -12° / -5°C |
| April | 13% | 38% | 1.6 h | -7° / -1°C |
Darkness through the year
- No full darkness (Sun 12° below the horizon) from 15 April to 28 August — the sky stays too bright for most auroras.
- Midnight sun from 27 May to 17 July.
- Polar night from 10 December to 1 January: the sun stays below the horizon, giving the longest viewing windows.
- Next new moon 9 November, next full moon 26 October. The darkest skies are in the week around new moon.
Aurora nights in Muonio village since 1995
Nights when Kp reached 4.7 or more while it was dark here.
Most recent strong nights
- 10 October 2026 · Kp 7.0
- 4 October 2026 · Kp 5.7
- 3 April 2026 · Kp 5.7
- 2 April 2026 · Kp 5.0
- 22 March 2026 · Kp 6.7
- 20 March 2026 · Kp 7.0
- 13 March 2026 · Kp 6.0
- 3 March 2026 · Kp 5.0
Where to watch near Muonio village
-
Lake Torassieppi
A frozen lake whose north-facing shore is the setting for Torassieppi's aurora domes. · about 17 km · Open in OpenStreetMap
-
Olostunturi
A fell and ski area close to the village that gets you above the trees and away from village lights. · about 7 km · Open in OpenStreetMap
-
Jeris lakeside
A lakeside resort area by Lake Jerisjärvi that is used as a base for aurora excursions. · about 21 km · Open in OpenStreetMap
-
Pallas (Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park)
The hotel and visitor area in the national park, surrounded by open, treeless fells. · about 32 km · Open in OpenStreetMap
-
Muonio River at Harriniva
A riverside spot just south of the village with an open view across the river valley. · about 4 km · Open in OpenStreetMap
Local knowledge
- Discover Muonio gives the aurora season as September to April. The village is next to Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park, where there is very little artificial light.
- Muonio has polar night from about 10 December to 2 January and is known for the longest snow season in Finland.
- Kittilä Airport is about 74 km by road. Enontekiö Airport is slightly closer but has limited, mostly seasonal service, and there are buses from Rovaniemi.
- The Muonio River forms the border with Sweden, and a road bridge crosses to Muoniovaara on the Swedish side.
- Harriniva runs north-facing glass-walled aurora domes on the shore of Lake Torassieppi, as well as guided aurora trips by car, snowmobile and snowshoe.
Some accommodation has bright outdoor lighting, so walk away from buildings and car parks to let your eyes adapt.
Treat lake and river ice with caution and stay on marked winter routes, because the Muonio River has currents under the ice.
Practical information
- Nearest airport
- Kittilä International Airport (KTT) · 56 km
- Typical low / high in March
- -12° / -5°C
- What to wear
- Arctic cold: wool base layers, insulated jacket and trousers, warm boots, hat and mittens. Full clothing guide
- Emergency number
- 112
- 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
- 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.
- 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)
Questions and answers
What Kp do you need to see the aurora in Muonio village?
Muonio village sits right under the auroral oval: on clear, dark nights the aurora is often overhead, even when activity is quiet. Clouds matter far more than the Kp number here.
Which way should I look for the aurora in Muonio village?
Face north (about 356° from true north). At Kp 0 the lower edge of the aurora sits roughly 37° above the horizon; stronger activity lifts it higher and further across the sky.
What is the best month to see the aurora in Muonio village?
Over 2005–2025, March gave the best odds in Muonio village (36% of nights dark, active enough and mostly clear), followed by September (35%).
When is the aurora season in Muonio village?
From 15 April to 28 August the sky in Muonio village never gets dark enough. Outside that period the aurora can be seen whenever activity and clouds allow.
Is there much light pollution in Muonio village?
Some sky glow from nearby lights. Moderate displays are fine; faint ones are easier a few kilometres out.
When was the aurora last possible in Muonio village?
Activity last reached storm level (Kp 5 or more) during darkness in Muonio village on 10 October 2026 (Kp 7.0) — 762 such nights since 1995. Here the aurora also appears on many quieter nights.
Also covered by this forecast
Villages and districts around Muonio village share its forecast: within a few kilometres the sky, the Kp needed and the best direction are the same.
- Reuhalanmaa 0 km
- Alamuonio 1 km
- Niemenpää 1 km
- Lahdenranta 1 km
- Putaanranta 2 km
- Pahtonen 5 km
- Nulusniemi 7 km
- Karsikkoniemi 9 km
- Yli-Muonio 10 km
- Toras-Sieppi 10 km
- Utkujärvi 10 km
- Särkijärvi 11 km
- Tunturi-Lappi 14 km
- Kutuniva 14 km
- Muonio 15 km
- Kangosjärvi 15 km
- Kajanki 15 km
- Hietala 17 km
- Keräs-Sieppi 20 km
- Muotkavaara 21 km
- Kätkäsuvanto 22 km
- Rauhala 23 km
- Sonkamuotka 28 km
- Raattama 30 km
- Yli-Kyrö 31 km
- Äijäjoki 34 km