Northern lights in Ilulissat

Tonight’s aurora forecast for Ilulissat, where to watch, and when the sky is usually clear.

The night of Monday 2 November, Ilulissat time (GMT-2)

Worth heading out tonight

Best viewing window

19:00–21:00

Clouds may clear after 19:00.

Recommended: Sermermiut · 34 min walk from the centre

  • CloudClouds may clear by 19:00Average cloud cover 4% in the window
  • AuroraModerate activityKp 2 forecast at its highest
  • DarknessSome twilightDark from 19:00
  • MoonNo moonlightBelow the horizon

Medium confidence · Forecast data up to date · What this means

Forecast details
  • Cloud forecast updated 13:31
  • Aurora forecast issued 10:30
  • Recalculated by Little Aurora 14:45
  • This page made 14:49

Ilulissat time. The sources’ times say how fresh the forecast is; the page’s own time doesn’t. What these mean

Where to watch near Ilulissat

Sermermiut

Fjord

Tonight’s window: 19:00–21:00

Old settlement site on the Icefjord, reached by boardwalk from town; the aurora shows above the fjord in winter.

Getting there
34 min walk from the centre
Darkness
Dark: little light nearby
Parking
The Icefjord Centre (Kangiata Illorsua) on the way to the fjord has a parking lot.
Good to know
Non-residents pay a 10 euro UNESCO site fee for the land between town and the Icefjord from 1 June to 31 October; under-18s are exempt.
Safety
Calving icebergs can send waves 15 to 20 m high; walking near the Icefjord shore, especially the beach at Sermermiut, is extremely dangerous. The boardwalk and surrounding rocks can be slippery in rain and snow. Weather can turn to fog within minutes, and there is no mobile coverage beyond the area closest to town.

Directions in Maps · Public sources, not yet visited

Times are typical, from the centre of Ilulissat by road or path rather than in a straight line, and winter conditions can make them longer. Walking times don’t mean a route is lit or safe on foot in winter; check each spot’s notes.

Clear dark nights by month

  • 41% Jan
  • 41% Feb
  • 33% Mar
  • 32% Apr
  • – May
  • – Jun
  • – Jul
  • 21% Aug
  • 27% Sep
  • 33% Oct
  • 40% Nov
  • 41% Dec

The share of nights with at least two dark hours under 30% cloud cover, averaged by month over 2016–2025. It describes cloud, not aurora: a clear night still needs activity. A dash means no record for that month, usually because it doesn’t get dark. About this record

Questions

When is the best time to see the northern lights in Ilulissat?

In the dark months. Over 2016–2025, a clear spell after dark was likeliest in January and February, on about 41% of nights. That record is about cloud only: on any one night, the cloud and the activity forecast matter more than the season, so check on the day.

Where can you see the northern lights near Ilulissat?

This page lists 1 viewing spot near Ilulissat; the darkest is Sermermiut (34 min walk from the centre). Each has how to get there, parking, winter access and safety notes. Little Aurora picks the best one each night from cloud and darkness.

Aurora data from NOAA and GFZ. Cloud forecasts from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Places and travel times from OpenStreetMap contributors. Usual cloud from Copernicus ERA5 and weather-station records from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet, SMHI and the Icelandic Met Office. Forecasts are never guaranteed; conditions can change quickly. How the forecast works