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Determining the Best Time of Year to See the Northern Lights in Iceland

If you wish to know when is the best time of year for Northern Lights in Iceland in 2019, you should know some important facts first.

We consider the best time to visit Iceland is during October because winter has not come yet, the roads are still drivable and you can still do the Iceland ring road itinerary by car. To chase Northern Lights you need a car. It offers you the flexibility and freedom needed when chasing Aurora Borealis.

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October could be one of the best months to visit Iceland for northern lights.

Northern light in 2019 can be seen during October, November and December but in my opinion, the most accessible month is October, almost everyone considering it to be the best time of year to see Northern Lights in Iceland.

Please take into consideration that November and December are winter months that could mean most of the main roads are closed, or that they are full of ice and snow and hard to drive on.

You might think it is better to visit Iceland during November and December because there is more night time during these months but the true fact is that you might end up doing less because you can move less, or move with higher risk considering the bad winter weather.

When is the best time of year for northern lights in Iceland in 2019 ?

Best time to see northern lights in Iceland in 2019 might also be during early spring in March or April since during these months the winter is almost over and the longer days and gradually higher temperatures make it easier to explore and plan a trip to see the Aurora Borealis in Iceland in 2019.

When you plan your trip, consider knowing the astrological events, as they happen all month in the Arctic Circle. The new moon could come just when you visit Iceland and that could be a special event to see Northernlights in Iceland.

Best time of year for northern lights in Iceland in 2019
Best time of year for northern lights in Iceland in 2019

October is the best time to see Norther Lights in Iceland

Strong moonlight is generally amplified by snow, especially when you take long exposure photos with your camera, and that could lead to beautiful photos of the landscape at night, but at the same time it could mean it would be harder for you to spot and photograph faint aurora borealis which will translate in not so perfect opportunities to shoot the northern light. The lack of the moon could mean more perfect photos of the Icelandic northern lights, so it could be the best time of year for northern lights in Iceland.

From my experience, when you plan a trip and wish to choose the best time of year for Northern Lights in Iceland in 2019, you should consider these 5 things:

  • Don’t plan a trip for the Icelandic Aurora Borealis, plan for the destination
  • The Green Lights are unpredictable
  • It does not have to be cold to see the Northern Lights, it just has to be dark outside
  • You need a clear sky with no low clouds
  • Northern lights are not “on” all night, they can be seen only for a short period when the “activity” is above 3 (please see the aurora forecast from vedur.is)
  • Weather could change in a blink of an eye

In conclusion: if the aurora forecast is above 3 and the map looks white it could be the best time to see Northern Lights in Iceland in 2019.

Pro tip when you search for aurora forecast: On Vedur.is you should look for “aurora forecast” activity above 3 and please note that the map should be white (and not green, blue or orange). The green means that the sky has clouds on it, it does not mean that aurora borealis can be seen, on the contrary, it might be the best time of year for Northern Lights in Iceland.

Aurora forecast vedur.is Northern Light forecast
Aurora forecast vedur.is forecast for best time of year for Northern Lights in Iceland in 2019

We wrote some more detailed articles on this subject here: Best time to see Northern Lights in Iceland , should you wish to read more about when is the best time of year to see Northern Lights in Iceland.