The night of Monday 2 November, Longyearbyen time (CET)
Worth heading out tonight
Best viewing window
05:30–07:00
After midnight, in the early hours of Tuesday
Clouds may clear after 05:30.
Recommended: Nybyen · 4 min drive
- CloudClouds may clear by 05:30Average cloud cover 12% in the window
- AuroraModerate activityKp 2 forecast at its highest
- DarknessSome twilightDark from 17:00
- MoonFaint aurora may be harder to seeUp all window · 35% lit
Medium confidence · Forecast data up to date · What this means
Forecast details
- Cloud forecast updated 16:31
- Aurora forecast issued 13:30
- Recalculated by Little Aurora 17:45
- This page made 17:48
Longyearbyen time. The sources’ times say how fresh the forecast is; the page’s own time doesn’t. What these mean
Where to watch near Longyearbyen
Høydebassenget
Viewpoint
Tonight’s window: 05:30–07:00
Raised water reservoir at the east edge of town with a view over Adventdalen, listed for aurora watching.
- Getting there
- 17 min walk from the centre
- Darkness
- Town glow: faint aurora is hard to see
- Good to know
- Inside the town limits, where you may walk without polar bear protection; don't pass the polar bear warning signs. Outside the settlement you must carry means of scaring off polar bears, and Visit Svalbard advises going only with a guide.
- Safety
- Polar bears can be met anywhere, at any time, even just outside the settlements. Below steep slopes: check the avalanche forecast before you go.
Directions in Maps · Public sources, not yet visited
Nybyen
Viewpoint
Tonight’s window: 05:30–07:00
Upper end of the valley, the darkest part of Longyearbyen and away from most of the streetlights.
- Getting there
- 4 min drive
- Darkness
- Some glow: town glow on the horizon
- Good to know
- There is a polar bear warning sign in Nybyen; don't walk past it. Outside the settlement you must carry means of scaring off polar bears, and Visit Svalbard advises going only with a guide.
- Safety
- Wear a reflective vest in the dark. Polar bears can be met anywhere, at any time, even just outside the settlements. Below steep slopes: check the avalanche forecast before you go.
Directions in Maps · Public sources, not yet visited
Times are typical, from the centre of Longyearbyen 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
-
26%
Jan
-
21%
Feb
-
18%
Mar
-
–
Apr
-
–
May
-
–
Jun
-
–
Jul
-
–
Aug
-
9%
Sep
-
16%
Oct
-
19%
Nov
-
25%
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 Longyearbyen?
In the dark months. Over 2016–2025, a clear spell after dark was likeliest in January and December, on about 26% 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 Longyearbyen?
This page lists 2 viewing spots near Longyearbyen; the darkest is Nybyen (4 min drive). 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