Best time to see northern lights › August

By month

Northern lights in August

August marks the return of darkness to the Arctic after the summer gap. The very highest latitude northern sites - those at around 70°N or above, needing only Kp 1 to see aurora - begin to have astronomical darkness windows from mid-August. At Tromsø, Svalbard, Alta, and similar locations, the polar night has not yet returned, but the sky does now darken for a few hours around midnight. Conditions rate as marginal: the window is short, often just two to three hours, and any cloud cover eliminates the opportunity. But aurora is possible on active nights.

For mid and lower latitude northern locations - Scotland, southern Scandinavia, the Baltic states, and mid-latitude North America - August conditions are not yet viable. Persistent twilight keeps the sky too bright for aurora to register. These locations enter their season properly in late September and October.

The southern hemisphere is still in its winter season and in good condition across all tiers. High-latitude austral sites in Patagonia and New Zealand's far south have long, dark nights and are reliably active on elevated-Kp evenings. Mid-latitude sites in Tasmania, South Australia, and New Zealand's South Island are also in good condition. August is the last month of the southern hemisphere's peak window before conditions begin to ease in September.

Planning your trip in August

Weather

In northern Norway and Iceland, August brings milder temperatures and longer daylight for travel. Clear nights at 70°N are cold, dropping to 5°C to 10°C on the clearest evenings. Weather is more settled than deep winter across Scandinavia. In the southern hemisphere, August is still cold - Ushuaia averages 0°C to 6°C, with wind common.

Darkness

Limited and short in the north. Tromsø has around 3 to 4 hours of astronomical darkness in mid-August, growing toward the end of the month. Iceland and northern Finland have minimal useful darkness. In the south, Ushuaia still has 13 to 14 hours of darkness. Stewart Island, Queenstown, and Hobart have 12 to 13 hours.

Best regions

Tromsø and Alta, Norway — The first signs of autumn darkness return in mid-August. The window is brief - roughly midnight to 3 am - but aurora is visible on active nights. Infrastructure is excellent and the landscape is beautiful in late summer.
Svalbard — Polar bear territory with limited self-guided access, but organised tours are available. Svalbard retains more darkness earlier in August than locations further south on the Norwegian mainland.
Ushuaia and Patagonia — Still in full aurora australis season. August is one of the last reliable months before spring shortens the nights. Patagonia's southern winter is at its coldest but the skies are often clear.
Queenstown, New Zealand — Ski season continues through August and aurora australis remains active. The nights are shortening slightly but still long enough for multiple aurora windows per week during active periods.

Crowds & cost

August is shoulder season for northern aurora tourism - prices are lower than winter and infrastructure is quieter. Good time to visit Tromsø or Iceland for a taste of early-season aurora without the mid-winter premium. In the southern hemisphere, Queenstown ski season keeps prices elevated. Ushuaia is moderate.

Practical tip

If targeting northern lights in August, travel in the final two weeks when darkness is more established at 70°N. Check astronomical twilight times for your specific latitude before booking - the window grows noticeably from mid to late August at high latitudes.

Current Kp level

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Quiet G1 storm G3 Extreme

The Kp index - a global measure of geomagnetic activity on a scale from 0 (quiet) to 9 (extreme storm), updated every 3 hours - determines which locations are active right now. Higher Kp extends the auroral oval to lower latitudes. Kp index explained →

Locations sorted by tonight's cloud cover within each group - clearest conditions first. Updated every 30 minutes.

Northern hemisphere

53 locations in marginal condition.

Marginal conditions

These locations can see aurora in August but the window is narrow - nights may be short, the Kp requirement is high, or the seasonal conditions are at the edge of viable. A clear, dark night with elevated activity gives the best chance.

Northern lights in August

Planning your trip in August

Current Kp level

Northern hemisphere

Abisko

Alta

Bodø

Churchill

Dawson City

Fairbanks

Finnsnes

Gällivare

Hammerfest

Harstad

Honningsvåg

Ilulissat

Ivalo

Jukkasjärvi

Kangerlussuaq

Kirkenes

Kiruna

Kittilä

Kvaløya

Levi

Luosto

Lyngen Alps

Narvik

Nuuk

Saariselkä

Senja

Svalbard

Tromsø

Vardø

Vesterålen

Yellowknife

Ylläs

Akureyri

Anchorage

Borgarnes

Dalvík

Edmonton

Egilsstaðir

Húsavík

Ísafjörður

Lofoten Islands

Mývatn

Reykjavik

Rovaniemi

Scotland

Shetland Islands

Snæfellsbær

Snæfellsnes

Stykkishólmur

Umeå

Vopnafjörður

Westfjords

Whitehorse

Southern hemisphere

Fiordland

Lake Tekapo

Stewart Island

Ushuaia

Dunedin

Queenstown

Wānaka

Other months

Common questions

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