Northern lights in Reykjavík in October
Possible, with patience — 29% of October nights offer a window.
29%of nights offer a window
11 hof darkness per night
78%of days with enough solar activity
37%of nights with a clear hour
The numbers behind it: October nights in Reykjavík average about 11 dark hours, geomagnetic activity reaches local viewing levels on 78% of days, and 37% of nights offer at least one reasonably clear hour after dark.
Neither clouds nor solar activity dominates — October failures are usually bad single-night luck. Several nights in a row is the honest insurance policy.
Numbers come from 1996–2025 Kp records (GFZ Potsdam) and 2015–2024 hourly cloud history for Reykjavík itself — the full method is on the methodology page. Travelling soon? Check tonight's live Reykjavík forecast.
October against the rest of the year
- Jan32% of nights
- Feb30% of nights
- Mar29% of nights
- Apr24% of nights
- Maymidnight sun
- Junmidnight sun
- Julmidnight sun
- Aug16% of nights
- Sep31% of nights
- Oct29% of nights
- Nov31% of nights
- Dec31% of nights
September in Reykjavík · November in Reykjavík · full year overview
October elsewhere under the oval
- Yellowknife 41% of nights
- Fairbanks 39% of nights
- Lofoten Islands 36% of nights
- Tromsø 33% of nights
- Kiruna 33% of nights
- Rovaniemi 24% of nights
- Abisko 16% of nights