Aurora Forecast Tonight in Inari

Aurora season in Inari runs from September to April.

Tonight's Forecast

Moderate

How we calculate the aurora score

Moderate

We combine geomagnetic activity (Kp), aurora oval probability (OVATION), cloud cover, darkness and moonlight, weighted for Inari (region: auroral_oval).

With current Kp 5.0 (location needs ≥ 1) and 92% cloud cover, aurora may be visible at Inari from a dark spot, once your eyes have adjusted.

Unlikely 0-19

Score 0–19. Conditions strongly limit aurora visibility.

Low 20-44

Score 20–44. A faint aurora is possible only under perfect conditions.

Moderate 45-64

Score 45–64. Aurora may be visible to alert observers in dark, clear skies.

High 65-84

Score 65–84. A good chance of a visible aurora display.

Very High 85-100

Score 85–100. Excellent odds — plan to be outside tonight.

Moderate chance tonight. Aurora may be visible from a dark spot if the sky stays clear.

Aurora Score 58 /100

Aurora activity may be favorable near Inari, but cloud cover could make the Northern Lights difficult or impossible to see.

With current Kp 5.0 (location needs ≥ 1) and 92% cloud cover, aurora may be visible at Inari from a dark spot, once your eyes have adjusted.

Max Kp

Strong for this location

Kp is comfortably above the local threshold.

5.0

Strong for this location

Cloud Cover

Overcast

Over 85% cloud — aurora effectively hidden.

93%

Overcast

Moon

Bright moon

Over 75% illuminated — only strong displays will be visible.

77%

Bright moon

OVATION

Moderate

5–20% probability — aurora possible.

14%

Moderate

🕐

Best Viewing Window

10:00 PM – 12:00 AM

Best balance of darkness, geomagnetic activity and local sky conditions.

🧭

Direction to Look

Overhead or north

Min Kp 1 Lat 68.9°

This location is close to the auroral oval, so aurora may appear overhead during stronger activity.

Recommendation

Cloud cover is the main problem tonight. Wait for breaks in the clouds before going out.

Hour-by-hour visibility

Estimated aurora visibility score for each hour of tonight at Inari.

10:00 PM

59/100

10:00 PM: 59/100 — moderate

Max Kp

3.7

Cloud Cover

90%

Moon

77%

OVATION

14%

11:00 PM

58/100

11:00 PM: 58/100 — moderate

Max Kp

3.7

Cloud Cover

92%

Moon

77%

OVATION

14%

12:00 AM

57/100

12:00 AM: 57/100 — moderate

Max Kp

3.7

Cloud Cover

98%

Moon

77%

OVATION

14%

1:00 AM

57/100

1:00 AM: 57/100 — moderate

Max Kp

5.0

Cloud Cover

100%

Moon

77%

OVATION

14%

10:00 PM

11:00 PM

12:00 AM

1:00 AM

Best viewing window: 10:00 PM – 12:00 AM. Peak around 10:00 PM with a visibility score of 59/100.

Why this forecast?

There is a moderate chance of visible aurora tonight. Some conditions are favorable, but clouds, moonlight or geomagnetic activity may still limit visibility.

Score breakdown

How tonight's aurora score for Inari breaks down into activity and visibility components.

Geomagnetic activity

30 / 30

Geomagnetic activity (Kp 5.0) contribution to the score.

30 / 30

Aurora oval probability

10 / 30

OVATION aurora oval probability (14%) contribution.

10 / 30

Cloud cover

2 / 20

Cloud cover (92%) contribution — clear skies score full points.

2 / 20

Darkness

15 / 15

Sky darkness contribution — astronomical darkness scores full points.

15 / 15

Moonlight

1 / 5

Moon illumination (77%) contribution — new moon scores full points.

1 / 5

Aurora zone

+10 pts

Latitude/zone bonus for Inari.

+10 pts

Aurora activity 78 / 100

Sky visibility 44 / 100

Final score 58 / 100

✓

Geomagnetic activity 5.0 / 1

Geomagnetic activity (Kp index)

Strong for this location

Kp measures how disturbed Earth's magnetic field is on a 0–9 scale. Higher Kp pushes the aurora oval toward the equator. Inari needs Kp ≥ 1.

Below threshold

Kp is below the minimum needed at this latitude.

Near threshold

Kp is close to the minimum needed — a faint aurora may appear low on the horizon.

Enough for this location

Kp meets the threshold for visible aurora here.

Strong for this location

Kp is comfortably above the local threshold.

Geomagnetic storm

Storm-level Kp ≥ 5 — aurora can be seen far south of its usual zone.

Strong for this location

Expected Kp 5.0 is comfortably above the 1 Inari usually needs, so the oval should reach well past this latitude if the sky cooperates.

Cloud cover 93%

Cloud cover

Overcast

Average cloud cover during the best viewing window. Clear skies are essential — even thin overcast hides the aurora.

Clear skies

Up to 25% cloud — excellent visibility.

Partly cloudy

25–50% cloud — aurora may peek through gaps.

Cloudy

50–85% cloud — most of the sky is blocked.

Overcast

Over 85% cloud — aurora effectively hidden.

Overcast

Cloud cover is high tonight, which can block the view even if aurora activity is present.

✓

Darkness astronomical

Sky darkness

Astronomical darkness

Aurora is faint and needs a dark sky. Astronomical darkness (sun more than 18° below horizon) is ideal.

No dark window

Sun stays above 6° below horizon all night — no aurora-friendly darkness.

Civil twilight

Sun 6–12° below horizon — too bright for faint aurora.

Nautical twilight

Sun 12–18° below horizon — sky is dark but not fully astronomical.

Astronomical darkness

Sun more than 18° below the horizon — fully dark sky.

Astronomical darkness

The sky reaches full astronomical darkness tonight — the sun more than 18° below the horizon, dark enough for even a faint aurora.

Moonlight 77%

Moon illumination

Bright moon

A bright moon washes out faint aurora colours. New moon is ideal; full moon hides everything but the strongest displays.

Dark moon

Less than 25% illuminated — minimal interference.

Moderate moonlight

25–75% illuminated — faint aurora may be washed out.

Bright moon

Over 75% illuminated — only strong displays will be visible.

Bright moon

Moon is 77% illuminated — expect washed-out faint aurora.

•

Aurora oval probability 14%

Aurora oval probability (OVATION)

Moderate

NOAA's OVATION model estimates the chance of aurora visible overhead within a 250 km radius of you.

Low

Less than 5% probability — aurora unlikely to reach this location.

Moderate

5–20% probability — aurora possible.

Elevated

20–40% probability — aurora likely if skies are clear.

High

Over 40% probability — aurora very likely overhead.

Moderate

The aurora oval probability is moderate for this location tonight, so activity may be close by if the sky is clear.

✓

Aurora zone Excellent zone

Aurora zone

Excellent zone

How favourable Inari's latitude is for aurora viewing in general — independent of tonight's conditions.

Low zone

Lower latitude — aurora is rare and requires a major storm.

Fair zone

Mid-latitude — aurora visible only during moderate-to-strong storms.

Good zone

High-latitude region — aurora is visible on most active nights.

Excellent zone

Directly under the auroral oval — aurora is a regular occurrence.

Excellent zone

Inari is in a prime aurora zone, so aurora can be visible during regular activity when skies are dark and clear.

Data sources

How this forecast works

3-Day Aurora Forecast for Inari

Tonight

Moderate

Max Kp5.0

Cloud Cover92%

Moon77%

10:00 PM–12:00 AM

Tomorrow night

Moderate

Max Kp4.7

Cloud Cover88%

Moon66%

11:00 PM–1:00 AM

In 2 nights

High

Max Kp3.7

Cloud Cover1%

10:00 PM–2:00 AM

Aurora Forecast AI Tracker

Get aurora alerts for Inari

Save Inari in Aurora Forecast AI Tracker to follow the local Northern Lights forecast, hourly aurora visibility and best viewing window. Get notified when Kp activity, darkness and cloud cover create better chances to see the aurora.

Smart aurora alerts
Best viewing window
Hourly forecast
Saved locations

Best Months to See the Northern Lights in Inari

Best: September to April Peak: January, February, October and November

September October November December January February March April

The aurora season in Inari usually runs from September to April.

Hours of darkness in Inari

Dark hours per night
January	February	March	April	May	June	July	August	September	October	November	December
12.5	9.7	5.3	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	8.2	11.7	13.3

Polar night: 30 November – 11 January

Midnight sun: 23 May – 21 July

No astronomical darkness: 29 March – 15 September

Other aurora viewing spots near Inari

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Karasjok

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Lakselv

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Utsjoki

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Kirkenes

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Kautokeino

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Kittilä

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Sodankylä

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Vadsø

Finnmark

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you see the Northern Lights in Inari tonight?

Often, yes. Inari is at 66.3° geomagnetic latitude, inside the ring where aurora is most frequent, so cloud and darkness decide your night rather than activity.

What Kp index is needed to see the Northern Lights in Inari?

There is no threshold to clear at 66.3° geomagnetic. Kp describes how far the oval reaches, and Inari is already inside it, so the number matters less here than cloud and darkness.

What is the best time to see the Northern Lights in Inari?

Between about 22:00 and 02:00, around magnetic midnight. This far north the limit is daylight: September to April gives dark hours to use, and around midsummer there are none at all.

What are the best months to see the Northern Lights in Inari?

September to April, with January, February, October, November the strongest stretch — around midsummer Inari gets no astronomical darkness at all. Activity runs all year and tilts a little higher near the March and September equinoxes, a shift in the odds rather than a promise.

Where is the best place to see the Northern Lights in Inari?

You can watch from Inari itself. With this few lights around, a garden or the nearest open field is enough, provided nothing blocks the northern horizon. What matters more here is the moon: a bright one washes out faint aurora, so nights near new moon are the ones to pick.