December 2024

December 30th

Guests / Country: 16 guests from Australia, Netherlands, India, Germany, China and USA.
Weather Tromsø: Cloudy.
Destination / weather: The Magic island oof Senja / clear / snow / part clear.
Aurora activity: 2/10.
Aurora show: Just a faint curtains low on the north sky, some spikes.
Visible for the naked eyes: Faint white.
Tour km: 390.
Tour hrs: 8,5.
Wildlife: One white rabbit.

Back on the right track again tonight, after the miserable chase last night ... but, we came too late to the final stop where the sky was best clear ... after a long drive towards south.

The best activity was between 7.30 - 8.30 pm, but we didn`t arrived before just before 11 pm, so it was pity that I didn`t just gamble little and headed short towards west instead, where some of the guides had partly clear sky and. good Aurora already from 8 pm, just 60 km west of the city.

But, it`s a gamble all nights ... where to drive and being on the right spot at the right time ...

December 29th

Guests / Country: 16 guests from Italy, Germany, Brasil and USA.
Weather Tromsø: Cloudy / snow.
Destination / weather: Dividalen valley / cloudy / snow.
Aurora activity: 0/10.
Aurora show: No activity / too cloudy !
Visible for the naked eyes: Nothing !
Tour km: 295.
Tour hrs: 7.
Pics is from an another chase to this lovely spot, but tonight we was`nt so lucky with the clear sky ...

Sorry, my dear guests, but tonight I got fed up on myself on the return to the city ... what`s happened ... have I lost the good spirit of chasing ?

It was a new tricky weather chase, and I changed my first plan for Finland, since I heard from a colleague that Dividalen valley has changed to it better, re; the weather forecast ... but, it didn`t looks like that when we stand out there and waited for the forecasted clear sky in heavy snowfall ...

So, when we left it was still snowing ... but, then it stopped 10 km further down in the valley ...

The huge question is why I didn`t stopped for checking the sky at that time, and not before after 10 km more, but then I saw only a couple of stars and no Aurora ...

The facts is this; 20 mins after we left the valley the sky cleared up, and there was suddenly Aurora on the sky ... the Aurora forecast said nothing about that, but I know very well that she`s a tricky lady, and sometimes it shows up anyway.

I stopped one more time, but then it was again only a few stars visible at the wrong direction, to the south, and so good wasn`t tonight`s Aurora, but it was a okey one, and other guides got nice pics ...

So, I am very sorry that I didn`t stopped before ... just now I am mad on myself :( ... but, tonight is a new chase ...

December 28th

Guests / Country: 16 guests from Norway, Germany, Brasil, UK and USA.
Weather Tromsø: Cloudy.
Destination / weather: Grønliskaret / Hessfjord / my home / part clear / cloudy / snow.
Aurora activity: 3/10.
Aurora show: Several stripes across the north sky, curls and spikes, but faint.
Visible for the naked eyes: White and grey.
Tour km: 160.
Tour hrs: 6,5.
Wildlife: One moose.

Now it`s time for me to stop to cancel my first plan for the evening ...

The weather forecast shows okey conditions later in the evening both on the coast and inland, so tonight I choose the coast and my first plan was to drive home to my own home, so we could avoid the crowdy areas where all another guides went.

When we arrived it was too cloudy my home 40 km north, so I contunied to the NW coast on my island Ringvassøya ... on the way we met a intense snowstorm which last in only 15 mins, and then the sky was lovely clear when we stopped in the mountains.

So, I set camp fire and was hoping it should last, but no ... the sky was better further west and at my home, which I can follow with our new sky cameras.

Called a colleague who said more clear sky was coming in from SW, so I decided to wait ... and it was right, since first we saw some stars and then sudenly was lovely clear again, just in time for the forecasted Aurora show, but it last for only ten mins, so I decided to leave and went further west to the coast.

When we arrived it was cloudy there too, and lovely conditions at my home at the east side of the island ... so the big question in my head was; why I didn`t had patience enough to stay there from the beginning ...

We got little more on our way back with a new stop in the mountains, and then we finally headed back to my home, set a 2nd camp fire and was planned to wait for the next forecasted show which should arrive at 00.30 am, but 20 mins before the clouds destroyed our sky again ...

And it was probably an nice one and the evening best with dancing across the sky ... which I could watch on a sky camera further east ...

When I returned home two hours later after dropping off my guests in the city, the sky was clear again ... and that`s very typical, and it`s one of the reason why I bought my house just there ;)

So, `Chasing the Northern Lights`, or finding clear sky is always a gamble when the weather are tricky, so it`s important to be on the right spot at the right time ... some night we win and at other we loose ...

By the way, my guests was happy that we met a lovely moose which was not afraid, and was posing for us for a while ;)

December 24th

Guests / Country: 16 guests from Malaysia, Hong Kong, China and USA.
Weather Tromsø: Cloudy.
Destination / weather: Kaldfjord / Kvalsundet / cloudy / part clear / haze.
Aurora activity: 4/10.
Aurora show: All over and far south, curls, spikes and curtains.
Visible for the naked eyes: Faint green / white / grey.
Tour km: 85.
Tour hrs: 5,5.
Wildlife: 6 (!) moose`s.

After several nights with lovely clear sky on the coast, the clouds was back tonight ... but still, we went again out on the coast since the weather forecast says okey conditions, and the long drive further east and into Finnish Lapland can wait until we really need to do the long drives ...

First plan was to head north, but then I got a got a message of one of my colleagues that the sky was clear towards Sommarøy, 60 km west, so I turned around and went in that direction and found clear sky already after 25 km ... and good was that since at the first stop we was in shelter from the strong wind from south west.

The Aurora was faint, but it was three stripes across the sky and we got okey pics ...

Next show should came just before 10 pm, and since we got incoming clouds which destroyed our beautiful clear sky, I decided to head north since some other guides says it was 40% clear 1,5 hours drive further north on my island, Ringvassøya.

The pity case was that I forgot to check the newly sky camera we have in the fjord further west, before we left the area ... and what I discover later; the sky was good partly clear towards south with a great display of Aurora ...

So, we ended up by do the final stop at the strait 30 km north of the city, and got an okey show between the clouds.

The highlight of the evening was not the Northern Lights, but when we met six moose`s together just after the tunnel to the island Ringvassøya ... I have seen many moose in this area, but never 6 at the same time.

With happy guests I returned again to the city super early ... the activity was over, so it was no needed to stay out longer.

December 23rd

Guests / Country: 16 guests from Ukraine, Australia, China, UK and USA.
Weather Tromsø: Clear.
Destination / weather: Kvaløya island south / clear.
Aurora activity: 8/10.
Aurora show: All over and far south, curls and spikes. And intense two colors curtains.
Visible for the naked eyes: Green and little pink.
Tour km: 110.
Tour hrs: 5.

The reason why we like to stay put on one location when we drive out for a chase, is because is we never knew when the big drop comes ... and this night was just a good example of this ...

We had a lovely show from close to nothing to a lovely Aurora all over the south sky, and then we left when it got faint ... but, I should knew better ... when it get faint, it can come back suddenly with a huge kabooom ... and this was happened after a drive in just a few minutes ...

It`s pity, since it was dancing crazy in green, pink and yellow, and there was no places to stop, so we got to see it from the bus, until we found a tiny place to stay, and the hole sky was active.

Then I decided to cancel my first plan to drive all around the Kvaløya island via Sommarøy, and stop on the several places, since the activity was too good to take the chance to drive further.

It was probably a nice corona above us when it was dancing so intense, but that one we missed ... it`s part of the game, it`s always a gamble ...

December 22nd - Aurora for myself

Destination / weather: Bjørnskar, Ringvassøya / part clear.
Aurora activity: 6/10.
Aurora show: All over, stripes, curls and spikes, and dancing curtains.
Visible for the naked eyes: Bright green.
Tour hrs: 2.

A super early show which started at 3 pm while I was outside and removed snow from my driveway, and the evening got even better, but then I was just inside and relaxed ...

December 20th - Private Arctic Excursions (Senja)

Guests / Country: 6 guests from Australia.
Destination / weather: Hamn / part clear / haze.
Aurora activity: 5/10.
Aurora show: Several stripes across, also towards south, spikes and curls.
Visible for the naked eyes: Faint grey / white.
Tour hrs: 2.

After an better dinner we just walked a few hundreds meter to the `lighthouse` at Hamn for see if we could get some view of Aurora on the hazy sky and between the clouds.

It was quiet as a start, but then we got to see little, and quite soon the sky got better which also the activity went, so it became a lovely evening towards midnight ...

December 18th - Private Arctic Excursions (Lyngen)

Guests / Country: 6 guests from Australia.
Destination / weather: XLyngen, Nord Lenangen / clear.
Aurora activity: 6/10.
Aurora show: Several stripes across, curtains, spikes and curtains. Dancing Pink Auroras.
Visible for the naked eyes: Bright green and pink.
Tour hrs: 30 mins.

After a lovely day on sea for whale watching I should just take me an 30 mins nap, but it went to be two hours ... so, I missed out the lovely and very early Aurora from 4-6 pm, but my guests got it and took many lovely pics.

At 6.30 pm we got the best one, with intense dancing pink Auroras ;)

After dinner it was quiet on the sky, so it was time to take a longer break ...

December 17th - Private Arctic Excursions (Lyngen)

Guests / Country: 6 guests from Australia.
Destination / weather: XLyngen, Nord Lenangen / clear.
Aurora activity: 7/10.
Aurora show: All over and far south, spikes, curls and 3-colors dancing curtains. Couple of small coronas.
Visible for the naked eyes: Bright green, yellow and pink.
Tour hrs: 3 hours.

Lovely clear sky when we arrived XLyngen in Nord Lenangen, at the north tip of the Lyngen Alps, and Lady Aurora waas very active early ... but, the best show came little later just before 11 pm.

December 16th - Aurora for myself

Destination / weather: Bjørnskar, Ringvassøya / part clear.
Aurora activity: 6/10.
Aurora show: Couple of stripes across the sky, curls, spikes and little dancing.
Visible for the naked eyes: Bright green.
Tour hrs: 30 mins.

Finally some good Auroras again

A 30 mins early show from 6.50 - 19.20 pm while I was making the bus ready for my 5 days Private Arctic Excursions package which starting tomorrow

December 14th - Private Aurora Chase

Guests / Country: 4 guests from Australia.
Weather Tromsø: Cloudy.
Destination / weather: Spåkenes / part clear.
Aurora activity: 0/10.
Aurora show: No activity !
Visible for the naked eyes: Nothing !
Tour km: 395.
Tour hrs: 7,5.
Wildlife: Two moose.

Tonight was an historic night out on the chase, since most of the guides was far NE of the Lyngen Alps, close to the whale district around Skjervøy, where most of them has never been before ...

It was my second time to Spåkenes, close the Lyngen North, where I had two of the nights on my Arctic Excursions package tour in November 2023.

The first weather forecast showed beautiful clear sky in Tromsø and at the coast, but out from nothing there was coming in a massive cloud front from the south, which destroyed my plans for a short chase out on the coast, like the night before ...

So, then the race to the cloud front in the north was starting ... some guides went on the coast, north of my island Ringvassøya and the guides who started 5-6 pm, they got little Aurora before the clouds captured theirs sight.

I and most of the other guides drove inland, then north along the main road E6, and we didn`t stopped before after 200 km from Tromsø, someone drove even further north and east ... but, I saw there was no more Aurora activity, so I was thinking about a safe return, since the roads was quite icy cause the strong wind which polished the snow to ice.

I saw on our very good Aurora forecast that it should come some more activity just before 1 am, so I was hoping for a gap along the roads ... when we was back in Skibotn, it happened at 00.34, but no clear sky around so we missed it.

So, the highlights of the chase was two moose close the road ...

It has been a very quiet and lazy Lady Aurora the last four nights ... it`s pity for my guests and all another Aurora travelers to Tromsø.

December 13th

Guests / Country: 16 guests from Germany, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Israel, China and UK.
Weather Tromsø: Clear.
Destination / weather: Grøtfjord / clear.
Aurora activity: 3/10.
Aurora show: Several stripes on the north sky, spikes and curls.
Visible for the naked eyes: Faint white.
Tour km: 85.
Tour hrs: 6,5.
Space show: Several Geminid fireballs.

Such a lovely clear sky in Tromsø and at the coast this weekend ;)

So, the choice was easy ... straight west to the most popular fjord with dramatic mountains and beautiful surrounding views.

But, first I was planned to drive north, since it was coming in a huge cloud front from the south, but when I got a message from one of my good colleagues that Grøtfjord was clear, and the clouds didn`t came further north, I also decided to take the chance and went there too.

Probably 95% of the Aurora Guides went towards north and my island Ringvassøya tonight, since in Grøtfjord we was only 3 Aurora Guides and a rush of rental cars.

We had the beach for our self in a couple of hours ... I sell the silence, so it was perfect ..., but we got visit of a Chinese family who had a dinner moment on the beach, and later it came also a Spanish group who also made a camp fire for theirs Beach Party ...

December 12th - Private Aurora Chase Dinner

Guests / Country: 4 guests from Singapore.
Weather Tromsø: Cloudy / snow.
Destination / weather: Soltinddalen valley / cloudy / part clear.
Aurora activity: 1/10 ... maybe
Aurora show: Just a faint stripe low on the north sky.
Visible for the naked eyes: Nothing really ...
Tour km: 220.
Tour hrs: 6,5.

I decided me for one thing this night; it should not be a new long drive far east into Finland after the very long drive in bad weather last night; 522 km when I parked the bus.

So, I choose the coast, but the weather was tricky ... it showed partly clear sky at different locations, first 30 km west and then 35 km south ... but, cloudy when we arrived ...

Then I got a message from a colleague that it was 40-60% stable clear sky 90 km north, so I turn around and drove fast towards north of my own island, Ringvassøya.

When we arrived we got a glimpse of the clear sky, and then it was overcast there too ...

Since I should serve a dinner for my guests, I decided to drive into my Ice Fishing valley for set camp, and just hope for the best ... and we was lucky, since after I set lit of the camp fire, then the sky suddenly got clear again.

But, the Lady was shy ... I saw a very faint stripe, not sure if my guests saw it, but it became green on my camera, and theirs smart phones.

December 11th

Guests / Country: 16 guests from Belgium, Australia, China and USA.
Weather Tromsø: Cloudy.
Destination / weather: Finnish Lapland +60 km / cloudy / clear / cloudy.
Aurora activity: 0/10.
Aurora show: No activity !
Visible for the naked eyes: Nothing !
Tour km: 435.
Tour hrs: 8,5.
Wildlife: One weasel and two foxes.

A long drive for nothing ... and then we got a message that someone had little clear sky on the coast and got to see the Northern Lights ... yeah, the clouds are moving, so if you`re sitting on the same spot and wait, then you can be lucky ;)

Weather warning: Two `Low Polar Pressure` should arrive the coast, so the question was if I should cancel or not, cause it can be really bad driving conditions in this stormy weather ...

I decided to give it a try and drove out ... and except from one `white off` 40 km from the city, and little too windy and snowing on the Norwegian side of the border on the return, then rest of the drive was perfect with good sight, and good snowy roads.

But, the guides who had started up to two hours before us was struggling little, since we arrived far inside Finnish Lapland only 15 mins after them.

When we arrived Naimakka, 220 km from Tromsø it was overcast with only the moon and Jupiter visible, but while I was thinking little about to drive further in, then the sky got suddenly got perfectly clear ... but, it last only in 15 mins, and then it got overcast again ...

It`s pity, since the activity began 30 mins later by midnight, and then the south sky cleared up again while we was on the drive back to the city again ... I stopped a couple of times for check, but the sky towards north and west was still cloudy.

The activity last from midnight to 4 am, but this was while we was returning in the snow, wind and overcast sky ...

December 7th

Guests / Country: 14 guests from Serbia, Australia, China and UK. 2 no show!
Weather Tromsø: Part clear.
Destination / weather: My home / Grønliskaret / part clear / haze.
Aurora activity: 4/10.
Aurora show: All over and towards south, but faint. Curtains, curls and spikes. Two colors on camera.
Visible for the naked eyes: Faint grey / white.
Tour km: 140.
Tour hrs: 6,5.

Partly clear sky on the coast again, so then we just headed to my home north of the city first, before we headed over the mountains to the west side of the island Ringvassøya where the sky was more clear, but the haze came and goes ...

The Lady was shy tonight, but we got some colors on camera ...

December 6th

Guests / Country: 16 guests from Germany, Brasil, Australia, China and UK.
Weather Tromsø: Cloudy.
Destination / weather: Lyngen Alps / gaps in clouds / part clear cloudy.
Aurora activity: 3/10.
Aurora show: A couple of stripes low on the north sky, spikes.
Visible for the naked eyes: Faint green.
Tour km: 220.
Tour hrs: 6.

Aurora Chase in tricky weather can often be a gambling game …

So, it’s smart to be at the right spot at the right time … tonight we wasn’t that …

After got reports from my colleague that it got overcast further south and the sky cameras showed clear sky further north, I gambled by taking the ferries through the Lyngen Alps … so, I got at the same time two driving breaks …

After the first ferry to the alps, then the sky got overcast further north too, so then I maybe regret little, but had to make the best out of it, so we continued to Lyngseidet, the main village of the Lyngen Alps, and headed little towards north, east of the mountain wall.

And there we had a partly clear sky towards north ... lucky ... but, the best sky was on the east sky ... while I made the camp fire, the sky suddenly got much better ... happy ... and then we got a wide Aurora stripe over the north sky.

The Aurora forecast says it should come in a much better show around 11 pm ... and of course, 30 mins before it should happen, then our beautiful clear sky got totally overcast ...

It`s pity, since they got a huge gap further south east, but that location was too far from us, so we couldn`t reach in time ... so, we returned to the city ...

So, it’s smart to be at the right spot at the right time ... but, that`s a gamble game ... where to drive when the weather are so tricky ...

December 5th

Guests / Country: 15 guests from Italy, Germany, Brasil, Thailand, China, USA and UK.
Weather Tromsø: Cloudy.
Destination / weather: Grøtfjord / cloudy / haze / clear.
Aurora activity: 4/10.
Aurora show: Several stripes across the north sky, spikes and curtains.
Visible for the naked eyes: Faint grey / white.
Tour km: 75.
Tour hrs: 5.
Wildlife: 1+5 reindeers.

The clouds came in after a lovely day, but the forecast says it should clear up again around 11 pm, so I decided to gamble little and just drive out in cloudy areas of the coast, only 35 km west of the city, while many another guides went far into the country side.

When we arrived one of my favorite spots in Grøtfjord we could only see a couple of stars towards south, but we was lucky, since it cleared up much earlier, and there was the Northern Lights visible.

It wasn´t the greatest show, but my guests was happy after too long time we hoorible bad weather; the worst autumn ever !

December 4th

Guests / Country: 14 guests from Italy, China, USA and UK.
Weather Tromsø: Part clear.
Destination / weather: Laksvatn fjord / clear / haze / cloudy.
Aurora activity: 6/10.
Aurora show: All over and far south, curls, spikes and colorful curtains.
Visible for the naked eyes: Bright green.
Tour km: 120.
Tour hrs: 4,5.

Seasons shorthest chase !

For the third night the last two months we got a lovely clear sky in Tromsø and on the coast, but re; the weather forecast it shouldn`t last long, so we found a lovely spot by the fjord west of the Lyngen Alps for coming far as possible away from the coast where the clouds should arrive from south west.

At the same time, not drive too far so we got to see the Northern Lights, which again who was starting very early for the 2nd night in row.

When we arrived the first show was over and Aurora was faint, but then we got a lovely colorful curtains on the east sky, and then all over, just before the haze arrived and 30 mins later it was totally overcast, so we was back in the city before midnight ...

December 3rd

Guests / Country: 15 guests from Germany, Austria, Australia, China and UK.
Weather Tromsø: Cloudy.
Destination / weather: Skibotn North / Skibotndalen valley / part clear.
Aurora activity: 5/10.
Aurora show: Couple of stripes all over and little towards south, curls, spikes, and little dancing curtains.
Visible for the naked eyes: Bright green.
Tour km: 270.
Tour hrs: 7.
Wildlife: One weasel.

After I canceled the chase at the 1st I set up this nights chase ... since the weather forecast was so much better ;)

Was thinking about far inside Finland, but when we arrived east of the Lyngen Alps the sky was lovely clear, on the half way planned driving distance ... nothing better than that when the forecast is totally wrong.

So, we started by staying by the fjord north of Skibotn, but the clouds came also here, so we moved up in the valley, where we got a lovely huge gap and the Northern Lights was following the hole, from south via west to north sky. Just perfect ;)

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