Magnetic field
Open expert view to load NOAA measurements.
01 / Your night, made simpler
First the clouds.
Then the cosmos.
Compare the local forecast, check the actual sky, and choose your next step. Simple guidance up front; the underlying data when you want it.
The local observing desk
Three places.
One clearer picture.
Loading the latest available forecast…
Compare the next six forecast hours around Kiruna, Abisko and Björkliden. These are weather-model estimates, not observations or a probability of seeing aurora.
Checking the cloud forecasts.
Each location is checked separately. Unavailable or old information will be labelled.
| Location | Forecast loading |
|---|---|
| Kiruna | Loading… |
| Abisko | Loading… |
| Björkliden | Loading… |
Cloud forecast: SMHI Open Data, SNOW1g. Percentages are converted from eighths of sky (oktas) and rounded. A clear forecast still needs darkness and auroral activity; mountain weather can differ over short distances.
Expert view — cloud layers, solar wind & provenance
Inspect the local model.
Model run, grid point and the first forecast hour for each location. Cloud layers overlap; do not add their percentages. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.
Waiting for forecasts.
Upstream solar wind
Latest valid measurements marked active by NOAA, with the original spacecraft and timestamp. Measurements are upstream of Earth; changes are not an instant local prediction.
Solar wind
Open expert view to load NOAA measurements.
How to read this honestly
- The comparison uses the same six upcoming UTC hours at every location. Local display times include the date when midnight is crossed.
- Forecast runs older than six hours are withheld. Missing or partial rows cannot win the cloud comparison. A difference below one okta on average is treated as inconclusive.
- Solar-wind samples over 20 minutes old are labelled delayed, and samples over two hours old are withheld. Missing measurements are never turned into zero.
- The cloud summary compares only cloud cover. It does not assess darkness, wind safety, roads, visibility or auroral activity, and it is not a route recommendation.
- A magnetometer disturbance or a green model oval is not a confirmed naked-eye sighting. Inspect current cameras and ground reports, including their location and time.
Original feeds: SMHI parameter definitions · NOAA upstream measurements. Data is requested when you load this page or press Refresh, and every ten minutes while the page is visible. No account or location permission is needed.
Make a practical plan
What can you see?
This guide uses your observations. It does not measure live conditions or predict a sighting.
Your next step
Start with the actual sky.
Step outside or open the Kiruna sky camera. Then compare the local weather forecast. An aurora forecast alone cannot tell you whether cloud will block your view.
- Check the cloud where you are.
- Choose a safe, dark place nearby.
- Keep a warm return option.
The useful checks, in order
Go straight
to the source.
These links open the providers’ current information. The sky desk uses current model forecasts; the camera shows an observation from one location. Check each provider’s timestamp.
Cloud & local warnings
Check SMHI for your location and your destination. Look at the hours you will actually be outside, not just the daily weather symbol.
Check SMHIKiruna’s actual sky
IRF’s all-sky camera updates during dark hours. It shows one place: clear skies in Kiruna do not prove Abisko is clear, or vice versa.
Open the sky cameraAurora & solar wind
Use NOAA’s observations for context. Solar-wind readings can change quickly, and a strong forecast cannot see through cloud.
Open NOAADriving west? Check Trafikverket’s road information before leaving. A promising forecast is never a reason to drive an unsafe road. Read our winter-driving advice before planning a chase.
The forecast, translated
Numbers are clues.
Not promises.
The wider picture
A planetary measure of geomagnetic activity from 0 to 9. Higher activity can bring the aurora farther south. It is not a precise brightness forecast for your viewpoint.
The field’s direction
The north–south component of the solar wind’s magnetic field. Sustained southward values favour energy transfer into Earth’s magnetic system. A single number is not an on/off switch.
The local reality
Cloud, nearby lights and your view of the horizon affect what you see. Look at actual conditions alongside forecasts. Give a quiet sky time, without getting cold.
When the sky stays closed
Have a second kind of good night.
Try a night photograph of a lit tree or snowy landscape from a safe path, enjoy a warm drink, or head back and save your energy for tomorrow. Gorge and waterfall paths can be icy: explore them in daylight or with a guide who knows the conditions.
Coming with us? We provide crampons, walking sticks and head torches for extra grip, support and light when needed. Your guide chooses suitable locations for the conditions and the group, and adapts the plan as the weather changes. See what your guided evening includes.
Make a cloudy-night plan