Northern lights in Nuuk

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

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

Stay in tonight

Cloud cover is likely to hide the view tonight.

  • CloudCloudyAverage cloud cover 98% after dark
  • AuroraModerate activityKp 2 forecast at its highest
  • DarknessDark from 19:00Until 07:00
  • MoonRises around 01:0038% lit · brighter after

High 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 14:46

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

Where to watch near Nuuk

Hans Egedes Statue

Hill

Tonight: stay in

Statue hill above Nuuk Cathedral in Old Nuuk, near the old harbour, where the aurora has been photographed.

Getting there
10 min walk from the centre
Darkness
Town glow: faint aurora is hard to see
Good to know
In town, so street light is close by; Routes North suggests walking to the edge of town, away from street lamps, for a better view.

Directions in Maps · Public sources, not yet visited

Quassussuaq (Lille Malene)

Hill

Tonight: stay in

Peak on the edge of Nuuk; aurora hikes climb it to get above the city lights.

Getting there
13 min drive
Darkness
Dark: little light nearby
In winter
Home to Nuuk's ski area, Sisorarfiit, used for skiing and snowshoeing; take bus 3 to the Air Greenland Adm. stop.
Good to know
Summit aurora trips are sold as guided snowshoe tours (February to April); the summer hike to the top takes about 3 hours return.
Safety
The mountain is fairly steep; guided night ascents use snowshoes and headlamps.

Directions in Maps · Public sources, not yet visited

Times are typical, from the centre of Nuuk 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

  • 29% Jan
  • 27% Feb
  • 31% Mar
  • 24% Apr
  • 19% May
  • – Jun
  • – Jul
  • 20% Aug
  • 27% Sep
  • 32% Oct
  • 27% Nov
  • 32% Dec

The share of nights with at least two dark hours under 30% cloud cover, averaged by month over 1996–2025. 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 Nuuk?

In the dark months. Over 1996–2025, a clear spell after dark was likeliest in October and December, on about 32% 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 Nuuk?

This page lists 2 viewing spots near Nuuk; the darkest is Quassussuaq (Lille Malene) (13 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