October 2022

 

October 7th

• Guests / Country: 9 guests from Malaysia, Australia, Germany, India and Bosnia Hercegovina (guest from country no. 99 on my tours).
• Weather Tromsø: Cloudy / rain.
• Destination / weather: The Finnish border / part clear / clear.
• Aurora activity: 3/10.
• Aurora show: A couple of bands on the north sky, some spikes and curls. Two colors on camera.
• Tour km: 310.
• Tour hrs: 7,5.

What a lovely moment at the Finnish border, but the lady didn´t really cooperate for make the night optimal for my guests, while she took a break from 5 pm to 5.30 am, so we just got little ...

October 8th

• Guests / Country: 3 guests from Portugal and Italy.
• Weather Tromsø: Cloudy / rain.
• Destination / weather: Skibotndalen valley / Kilpisjärvi / Keinovuopio, Sweden / part clear / clear.
• Aurora activity: 5/10.
• Aurora show: Several bands across, spikes, curls and little two colors dancing.
• Tour km: 370.
• Tour hrs: 8,5.
• Wildlife: 2 moose.

October 10th - Private Aurora Chase Dinner

• Guests / Country: 8 guests from Brasil.
• Weather Tromsø: Cloudy / rain.
• Destination / weather: Skibotndalen valley / Finnish border / cloudy / part clear.
• Aurora activity: 3/10.
• Aurora show: Couple of bands across, some spikes and curls.
• Tour km: 310.
• Tour hrs: 8.

Season first Private Aurora Chase Dinner with a lovely group of lawyers from Rio de Janeiro.

It was a new tricky night with forecasted overcast all over, but by studing the cloud layers it should be little better closer to midnight, but we got partly clear sky before that twice and got a little glimpse of Lady Aurora in full moon ...

October 11th

• Guests / Country: 11 guests from Germany, Switzerland, Bulgaria and USA.
• Weather Tromsø: Cloudy / rain.
• Destination / weather: Keinovuopio, Sweden / Finnish border / clear.
• Aurora activity: 6/10.
• Aurora show: Several bands across, spikes, curls and two colors dancing curtains.
• Tour km: 370.
• Tour hrs: 8,5.

Rain and overcast in the city it`s not a reason to cancel the chase ... if you know how we experienced Aurora Guide works; we knows the local microclimates weather conditions and have a success rate up to 98% every season.

For me personally, the longest running Aurora Guide in Tromsø and Northern Norway with over 1800 chase nights, I am never giving up, and drive longer and stay out late for give you what you`ve come for; See Lady Aurora`s performance.

Tonight a new visit this week to the border river between Sweden and Finland, with a group of lovely international guests who was more than happy to spend the night under clear sky together with the full moon and beautiful Northern Lights ...

October 14th

• Guests / Country: 10 guests from Germany, Spain, France, Brasil and China.
• Weather Tromsø: Clear.
• Destination / weather: Dåfjord / clear.
• Aurora activity: 7/10.
• Aurora show: All over, far south, curtains, spikes and curls. Little dancing curtains in 3 eye visble colors and a couple of faint coronas.
• Tour km: 140.
• Tour hrs: 7.

An beautiful clear night with lovely Aurora ... but, it was a long wait for the good show ... first we just had a couple of faint colorful spikes in the horizon, only visible on the camera ... before it was building up closer to midnight and gave use a good show.

October 15th

• Guests / Country: 9 guests from Greece, Albania, Germany and USA.
• Weather Tromsø: Cloudy.
• Destination / weather: Dividalen / Balsfjord / Signaldalen / part clear / cloudy / rain / holes in clouds.
• Aurora activity: 2/10.
• Aurora show: All over, but faint, some spikes and curtains.
• Tour km: 330.
• Tour hrs: 8.
• Wildlife: 2 foxes & 2 white rabbit.

"Should we stop, wait and see ... or should we continue ..."

An new tricky weather night out on the chase where I was heading SE to Dividalen valley 135 km from Tromsø ... found a couple  of locations with partly clear sky on the way, but not much activity then, so I continued ... finally at the right location, but only with 30% clear sky and the activity was in wrong direction behind the clouds, so only a few faint spikes across ...

Suddenly I heard from colleagues who had partly clear sky and Aurora on the sky 45 km south of the city, but the clouds was moving fast in strong wind so each location condition change quickly, so I decided to stay until we totally lost the little clear sky we had ...

Headed back towards the city where we found partly clear sky again (70 km south), but no Aurora just then, but the Aurora forecast says it should come more within 30 minutes, so I gamble little and headed further east ... I wanted to have the clear holes towards north ...

I gambled right and we had three holes to west, north and straight up, and while I served hot drinks and snacks for my guests, the lady suddenly showed up with little quick dancing just above our heads ... after five mins it was over ... but, the camera capture more ... but, faint ...

Happy guests ? I am not sure ...

Me ? Just little mad that I didn`t stayed and waited at the best clear sky (40% clear) on our way ... 45 km before Dividalen valley ... one hour later the best Aurora show came this night ...

Yeah yeah, it`s always a gamble in tricky weather and I just says; "Should we stop, wait and see ... or should we continue ..."

October 16th

• Guests / Country: 4 guests from USA and China.
• Weather Tromsø: Clear.
• Destination / weather: Nakkevatnet lake / clear / haze.
• Aurora activity: 9/10.
• Aurora show: All over and far far south, spikes, curtains, curls and intense PINK dancing.
• Tour km: 110.
• Tour hrs: 6,5.

The Lady went Green far south to Europe and came back to the Arctic in an intense colorful speed in Pink, Green and Yellow, visible for the naked eyes.

It was a long time to wait for see anything tonight, but when you`re waiting for something good, you`ll not get dissapointed ... it`s pity it was six available seats in the bus tonight, but my four guests from China and USA was more than happy.

After a long and tireness drive last night, I just decided to drive short tonight and cause forecasted incoming clouds I decided to drive little east of the city where we had good clear sky most of the evening ... and the clouds didn`t arrived before the last good explotion in 3 eye visible colors was over ... good timing my dear Lady Aurora.

Had an relaxed moment with my guests around the camp fire by the silence lake ... it was lovely, so thank you so much for your lovely company and good talks ;)

October 18th

• Guests / Country: 10 guests from Malaysia, Germany, Switzerland and USA.
• Weather Tromsø: Part clear.
• Destination / weather: Part clear / clear / haze / Skibotn beach / The valley / Rovijokk Waterfall.
• Aurora activity: 8/10.
• Aurora show: All over, far south, curtains, spikes and little wild pink dancing. A couple of coronas.
• Tour km: 280.
• Tour hrs: 8,5.
• Space show: A huge white fireball crossed the east sky.
• Wildlife: A young moose along the road, just before we stopped at Rovijokk.

I was planning to do a new long drive far east into Finnish Lapland, but again the weather forecast wasn`t right ... first we left Tromsø city in 90% clear sky ... so why drive further ...

Then when we arrived Skibotn, east of the Lyngen Alps which is the first weather barrier, it was 60% clear ... so, I thought it could be great to have a nice view of the mountains of Lyngen and the fjord, including moonlight from my "top secret" beach in the area ...

But, just before the first show started it got overcast, so we begin what we normally do; Chase the Northern Lights (actually; we`re not chasing the light, but looking for a new better spot with clear sky).

15 mins along the roads the sky suddenly cleared up, so I turned into a spot in the forest in Skibotndalen valley, for get part of it, but I knew it should come one more show within 30 mins, so with all the guests back in the bus, we headed towards the mountains and the Finnish border ...

It was too long to drive all the way up, so when we arrived Rovijokk waterfall, 25 km before the border, the sky was 90% clear, and all the sky was dancing in crazy good Aurora ... so, this got our last location for tonight`s chase ...

We missed the beginning of the two first show (which probably was a 10/10 show), so while most of the buses who had been at the border and inside Finland returned back to the city, I decided to stay even longer ... since our good Aurora forecast (not an App) says it should come a third show around 00.30 ...

Until then we got haze and overcast thin clouds, but when The Lady begun her performance at 00.26 it looks like she was so strong that she`s removing the clouds ...

With happy guests in the bus we left the area at 00.50 am, while the lady still was dancing ...

October 21st

• Guests / Country: 9 guests from Germany, Canada and Hong Kong.
• Weather Tromsø: Cloudy / rain.
• Destination / weather: Skibotndalen valley / part clear / haze.
• Aurora activity: 6/10.
• Aurora show: Several bands across, also towards south. Spikes, curls and dancing curtains in three colors, visible for the naked eyes.
• Tour km: 265.
• Tour hrs: 7.

If we should trust the weather forecast, then we should cancel probably over 50% of our chases ... so, if it`s bad weather in Tromsø, it`s absolutely no reason to cancel your chase, if you`re follow the right guide.

The clouds are moving and somewhere else they will break up, and with our knowledge about the microclimates weather conditions in the fjords and mountains of Tromsø, then we know where we will find a spot with clear sky.

And it`s also help that we`re a group of the most experienced and longest running Aurora Guides in Tromsø who keep tight contact while we`re out for chasing.

This was also a bad weather evening, and the plan was to drive far east into Finland for get a slim chance to get an opening ... but again, the weather forecast for totally wrong ... so, instead of driving 240 km out from the city it was enough with the half, when we found a good gap in clouds east of the Lyngen Alps ... it was only 40% clear, but in this bad weather then we stayed there.

It`s changed all night, from overcast, haze to part clear again ... in perfect cooperation with Lady Aurora who mainly danced for us where the sky was clear.

9 happy guests went back to the city with me after a very short stay on about 3 hours, but for this night it was enough ;)

October 23rd

• Guests / Country: 10 guests from Germany, Italy and Colombia.
• Weather Tromsø: Cloudy / snowy.
• Destination / weather: Kilpisjärvi lake / part clear.
• Aurora activity: 9/10.
• Aurora show: All over and far far south, spikes, curls and intense dancing curtains in several colors. And a couple of lovely coronas.
• Tour km: 340.
• Tour hrs: 8.

RED OCTOBER

What a night ... what a show !!

After the first transportation leg 70 km south from the city to Nordkjosbotn, I checked the activity and the weather towards east where we was heading ... first I told my guests there´s no activity yet, but I had to change my mind after I checked the sky camera 50 km east; It was a Aurora band on the south sky ...

The real chase begun; and when we had the first stars after 25 km I did a 15 minutes stop in Storfjord since the band was visible on the south sky ... but, it got overcast, so we contiuned ... and the question was; will we be at the right spot when the huge show was started ?

After crossing the finnish border and drove +20 km the sky was really clear and the Aurora band was still on the south sky ... and when we came to the "lake kilpis-della", an lovely location along the main road with water on both sides, we had a van in front of us and suddenly the van who stood parked on the only spot there, left ... the desicion was easy; I stopped there!

Just in time when the south band begin to dance ... pity for the guests in the two vans who left, but perfect timing for my guests ;)

After very good activity all over and with a lot of red aurora on the sky, the grande finale show started, with crazy intensive dancing curtains with three colors visible for the naked eyes ...

... but still, there was something who missed for give it a 10/10 ... but, my guests was more than happy, so we went back to the city ...

October 24th

• Guests / Country: 5 guests from Greece, Taiwan, China, UK & USA.
• Weather Tromsø: Clear.
• Destination / weather: Kattfjordeidet / Sommarøy / clear.
• Aurora activity: 6/10.
• Aurora show: Couple of bands across, spikes, curls and 2 colors dancing curtains.
• Tour km: 115.
• Tour hrs: 7.
• Wildlife: 2 reindeer.

Finally a clear night on the coast again, so we went to lovely Sommarøy with view over the mountains, fjords and ocean.

The Lady was quiet tonight and for a long time there was just an ark all over the north sky, but when we got an surprisely final grande show just before midnight she waked little to life again, and gave us an beautiful show with little dancing ...

October 25th

• Guests / Country: 11 guests from Brasil, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and UK.
• Weather Tromsø: Cloudy.
• Destination / weather: Takvatnet lake / Buktamoen / part clear / haze / cloudy.
• Aurora activity: 0/10.
• Aurora show: No activity! (just a faint glow on the north sky)
• Tour km: 260.
• Tour hrs: 7.
• Wildlife: One reindeer and two foxes.

The Lady was quiet tonight, but what was created the strange light phenomena we discover ?

October 28th

• Guests / Country: 12 guests from Australia, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland and UK.
• Weather Tromsø: Cloudy / rain.
• Destination / weather: Skibotndalen valley / haze / overcast / part clear.
• Aurora activity: 7/10.
• Aurora show: Several bands across, spikes, curls, an small corona and 2 colors dancing curtains, visible for the naked eyes. Three colors on camera.
• Tour km: 250.
• Tour hrs: 7.

An new tricky weather night ... the choices was two; far inside Finland or in Skibotndalen valley, which both showed high couds which is Aurora visible through if they are not too tick ... I choose to gamble and stayed in Skibotn, 125 km SE of Tromsø.

First it was quite frustrated since we only saw little through the cloud layer ... so, after have enough pics of the forest and cloudy sky, I decided to drive down to the fjord for get little different landscape pics ... but, we did`nt came so far ... since at the half way, the clouds suddenly breaks up and I just had to pull over and find me a place to stop along the road.

A great show got served for me and my guests, with a lovely colorful Aurora show ... so, I went back home with very happy guests.

October 29th

• Guests / Country: 12 guests from Australia, Argentina, China, Germany, France, Italy and UK.
• Weather Tromsø: Cloudy / snowy.
• Destination / weather: Øvergård / Skibotndalen valley / Keinovuopio, Finland / part clear / snow / clear.
• Aurora activity: 7/10.
• Aurora show: All over and far south, but faint ... but, it was also some nice dancing curtains in several colors, three on camera and two visible for the naked eyes. Spikes and curls.
• Tour km: 375.
• Tour hrs: 8.
• Wildlife: 1+3 moose ... the first one I saw too late, so I am glad it went back in forest and not jumped over the fence and into road ... then it should be a huge kaboom, and meat for breakfast ;)

An new tricky weather night ... the weather forecast shows the best weather far inside Finland ... again ... but, we left the city in huge openings in the clouds ...

On the way I stopped after 80 km since we had partly clear sky and a huge Aurora band just in the edge of the clouds on the north sky ... but, then the snowy weather covered it, so we headed towards Finland ...

At the same time three of my colleagues was stopping just 60 km south of the city, since it was an opening there too and they got the great forecasted show at 8.30 pm ... so, then the question came; "Should we stop, return or continued" ... sometimes I do, but I decided to go for 100% clear sky ... which we got after 185 km after several miles in heavy snowfall and strong wind ...

The sky was beautiful clear and we had lovely Auroras until the snow arrived our location too at midnight ... but, then it was time to return to the city ... so, it was good timing ... when we started to drive the sky cleared up again and Lady Aurora continued to dance ... but, I knew the return should be hard with strong wind and snowfall, so we didn`t stop anymore ...

Back in the city 2.30 am with the guests, and I parked home one hour later ... then my three colleagues who choose the short one, was already sleeping ... yeah, it`s a hard life we are running ...

October 30th

• Guests / Country: 12 guests from Australia, India, Germany and UK.
• Weather Tromsø: Cloudy / snowy.
• Destination / weather: Storfjord / Skibotn beach / part clear / haze.
• Aurora activity: 6/10.
• Aurora show: Several bands across, curls, spikes and little pink dancing curtains.
• Tour km: 245.
• Tour hrs: 7.

An new tricky weather night, but when the sky camera in Skibotn showed partly clear all evening while we was driving out, then I quit the idea of driving south towards Senja.

And before we arrived the final destination we had to pull over for watch a great show while we had a huge hole in the clouds ... and we was not alone who stopped ... all parking spots along the fjord was occupied ...

Skibotn is normally too crowdy with too many buses, so I continued to my little secret beach, where only one another guide found theirs way ... and when we arrived it was noting to wait for, since Lady Aurora continued in good shape all evening.