Northern lights Húsavík tonight
Húsavík sits at ~66°N magnetic latitude on north Iceland's Skjálfandi Bay. Kp 2 is enough from dark sites on the bay and headland. Best known for whale watching, it is also a strong aurora base with dark north-facing bay views. Best season: September to April.
Aurora visibility - Húsavík
Low chance tonight
Kp 1 is below the threshold for Húsavík. Activity would need to rise to Kp 2 before aurora could reach this latitude.
Current Kp
1
of 9
7-day outlook for Húsavík
Today
15 May
Tomorrow
16 May
Sun
17 May
Mon
18 May
Tue
19 May
Wed
20 May
Thu
21 May
Based on CME arrival predictions from NASA DONKI. Arrival times ±6 hours.
What Kp is needed here?
Húsavík sits at a magnetic latitude of approximately 66°N. The Kp index - a global measure of geomagnetic activity on a scale from 0 (quiet) to 9 (extreme storm), updated every 3 hours - needs to reach Kp 2 before the auroral oval expands far enough south to be visible from here.
At Kp 2, visibility is possible from Húsavík but skies need to be clear and dark. Cloud cover and light pollution remain the main obstacles even when Kp is high enough.
Best dark sky sites near Húsavík
Light pollution is the biggest obstacle after cloud cover. These sites give you the best dark northern horizon within reach.
Skjálfandi Bay shoreline
Húsavík sits on the western shore of Skjálfandi Bay, a broad north-facing bay that opens directly toward the Arctic Ocean. The shoreline north of the harbour gives a dark horizon over the bay with the distant Tjörnes headland to the east. The small-boat harbour and the wooden church are useful foreground elements. Walk 5-10 minutes north of the town centre to lose the streetlights.
Tjörnes Peninsula
The elevated headland on the east side of Skjálfandi Bay, about 20 minutes' drive from Húsavík. The Tjörnes cliffs rise to around 100 m above sea level with open views north over the bay and west toward Húsavík. Almost no artificial light once away from the peninsula road. The elevated position means you are above any coastal mist and can see low aurora on the northern horizon clearly.
Road toward Ásbyrgi canyon
Route 85 south-east from Húsavík toward the Jökulsárgljúfur canyon system passes through completely dark terrain within 30 minutes of leaving the town. Ásbyrgi canyon itself - a horseshoe-shaped glacial canyon - gives a remarkable dark-sky foreground. The canyon walls amplify any aurora reflection from overhead. This route gives some of north Iceland's most dramatic aurora landscape combinations.
Best time to see the northern lights in Húsavík
At 66°N magnetic latitude, Húsavík has one of the longest aurora seasons in the world. Meaningful darkness returns in late August and displays are possible on almost any clear night from September through March. Only the endless daylight of May, June, and July rules out viewing completely.
Activity peaks around the September and March equinoxes, when Earth's magnetic field geometry is most favourable for coupling with the solar wind. Events during these two windows tend to produce the strongest displays of the year for observers at Húsavík's latitude.
May through July is effectively impossible for aurora viewing: the midnight sun keeps the sky bright around the clock at this latitude. No storm level, not even G5, can produce a visible display without astronomical darkness.
Related pages
Northern Lights Iceland
Iceland-wide aurora forecast hub.
Northern Lights Akureyri Tonight
Akureyri - north Iceland's main city, 90 minutes west.
Northern Lights Westfjords Tonight
The Westfjords - Iceland's darkest aurora region.
Northern Lights Photography
Camera settings and composition for aurora over Skjálfandi Bay.
What Is the Kp Index?
What Kp 2 means for viewing at 66°N magnetic latitude.
Common questions
Aurora watching from Húsavík and north Iceland's Skjálfandi Bay.
