Aurora forecast / August

Northern lights in Iceland in August

Not until the very end of the month, and only in the north.

The last week of August is when aurora becomes possible again, starting in the north where nights darken first. Expect a short window around midnight rather than a whole night, and expect faint displays low on the northern horizon rather than anything overhead. Early August is still midnight-sun territory.

How dark does it get in August?

  • Reykjavík: 0.8 hours dark enough for aurora
  • Akureyri: never dark enough

Measured on the 15th of the month — the hours the sun sits far enough below the horizon for aurora to be visible.

Roads and access in August

Everything open, including the highlands. The easiest month to reach dark, remote spots.

What else is happening

You get highland access and the first aurora of the season in the same trip — a genuinely rare overlap.

Every month

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Tonight's aurora forecast · Iceland weather map