Sweden808 places
Northern Lights in Sweden: Where and When to See Them
Parts of Sweden lie right under the auroral oval: near Luleå the aurora can appear on almost any clear, dark night. Near Luleå, September has historically been the best month (43% of nights).
Featured destinations
Kp 0 Luleå
Norrbotten County
Kp 0 Gällivare
Norrbotten County
Kp 0 Jokkmokk
Norrbotten County
Kp 0 Abisko
Norrbotten County
Kp 0 Kiruna
Norrbotten County
Kp 0 Jukkasjärvi
Norrbotten County
Where the aurora is easiest to see
| Place | Region | Kp needed | Kp for photos | Magnetic latitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luleå | Norrbotten County | 0 | 0 | 62.9° |
| Piteå | Norrbotten County | 0 | 0 | 62.6° |
| Boden | Norrbotten County | 0 | 0 | 63.1° |
| Gällivare | Norrbotten County | 0 | 0 | 64.5° |
| Kalix | Norrbotten County | 0 | 0 | 63.1° |
| Haparanda | Norrbotten County | 0 | 0 | 63.1° |
| Malmberget | Norrbotten County | 0 | 0 | 64.6° |
| Älvsbyn | Norrbotten County | 0 | 0 | 63.0° |
Largest cities
| Place | Population | Kp needed |
|---|---|---|
| Stockholm | 1,515,017 | 3 |
| Gothenburg | 608,462 | 4 |
| Malmö | 362,133 | 5 |
| Uppsala | 177,074 | 2.7 |
| Linköping | 166,673 | 3.7 |
| Örebro | 155,989 | 3 |
| Sollentuna | 139,606 | 3 |
| Umeå | 130,224 | 0.7 |
Live sightings
Where visitors are reporting the aurora right now. A place climbs with every report and drops again as the reports age.
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Latest reports
Regions of Sweden
- Stockholm CountyKp 2.7+ · 54
- Västra Götaland CountyKp 3+ · 76
- Skåne CountyKp 4.7+ · 63
- ÖstergötlandKp 3.3+ · 22
- Jönköping CountyKp 3.7+ · 20
- Uppsala CountyKp 2.3+ · 12
- Örebro CountyKp 2.7+ · 12
- Västerbotten CountyKp 0+ · 37
- Västmanland CountyKp 2.7+ · 11
- HallandKp 4+ · 11
- SödermanlandKp 3+ · 14
- Norrbotten CountyKp 0+ · 30
- Dalarna CountyKp 2+ · 18
- Gävleborg CountyKp 1.7+ · 12
- Västernorrland CountyKp 1+ · 17
- Värmland CountyKp 2.7+ · 17
- Kalmar CountyKp 3.7+ · 16
- BlekingeKp 4.7+ · 9
- Kronoberg CountyKp 4.3+ · 9
- JämtlandKp 0.7+ · 13
- Gotland CountyKp 4+ · 1
Practical information for Sweden
- Emergency number
- 112
- Access to land
- Allemansrätten lets anyone walk and stay temporarily on others' land, including pitching a tent for a night or two, provided you don't disturb and don't destroy. It does not cover gardens next to homes, crops or grazing land, or motorised off-road driving. National parks and nature reserves can have stricter rules.
- Winter driving
- From 1 December to 31 March, cars must use winter tyres (Alpine-marked or studded) with at least 3 mm of tread whenever winter road conditions apply. Studded tyres are allowed from 1 October to 15 April, and at other times when winter conditions apply or are expected. Trafikverket runs the road traffic information service. 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.transportstyrelsen.se/
- Official space-weather service
- Swedish Institute of Space Physics (IRF), Kiruna: all-sky camera and IRF Aurora Alert app
- Weather service
- SMHI (Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute)
In January 2024 IRF launched the free IRF Aurora Alert app, which sends real-time alerts when aurora is visible over Kiruna. It uses IRF's all-sky camera at the Rymdcampus just outside Kiruna.
Compiled from official government, road-authority and weather-service sources. Rules change; check them before you travel.