March: Rovaniemi peaks and Tromsø falls
The gap between places is wider than in any other month: 95% of five-night stays in Yellowknife had a usable night, 31% in Tromsø.
- Best sky: Yellowknife
- 9 to 10 dark hours
- 12 places compared
Most reviewed tour in Yellowknife
Minibus tour
Northern Lights Trip
If no aurora shows: the listing does not say. Ask before booking.
from €75
See dates and price
Links go to Civitatis. Scores are Civitatis customer ratings. Check the listing for the current price and conditions.
Where to see the northern lights in March
Places are ordered by how often a five-night stay included at least one dark night with a usable sky.
See the full table
| Destination | Dark hours per night | Nights with a usable sky | At least one in 3 nights | At least one in 5 nights | At least one in 7 nights | Kp for overhead aurora | Night temperature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1YellowknifeCanada | 9.5 h | 90% | 95% | 98% | Kp 1 | -19 °C | |
| 2WhitehorseCanada | 9.8 h | 86% | 95% | 99% | Kp 3 | -14 °C | |
| 3FairbanksAlaska, USA | 9.3 h | 83% | 92% | 95% | Kp 2 | -16 °C | |
| 4KirunaSweden | 9 h | 72% | 87% | 94% | Kp 2 | -11 °C | |
| 5RovaniemiFinland | 9.1 h | 66% | 82% | 89% | Kp 3 | -8 °C | |
| 6SaariselkäFinland | 8.9 h | 63% | 78% | 85% | Kp 2 | -9 °C | |
| 7LeviFinland | 9 h | 58% | 74% | 83% | Kp 2 | -9 °C | |
| 8AbiskoSweden | 8.8 h | 54% | 69% | 79% | Kp 2 | -11 °C | |
| 9ReykjavíkIceland | 9.4 h | 45% | 60% | 69% | Kp 2 | 0 °C | |
| 10AkureyriIceland | 9.3 h | 25% | 37% | 46% | Kp 2 | -7 °C | |
| 11LuleåSweden | 9.3 h | 27% | 37% | 44% | Kp 3 | -6 °C | |
| 12TromsøNorway | 8.7 h | 21% | 31% | 39% | Kp 1 | -6 °C |
A usable sky means at least two dark hours in a row with half the sky or more free of cloud, over an area of about 110 km. It says nothing about solar activity, so it is not the chance of seeing the aurora. How we calculate this
What March is like
March is the spring equinox month, and the dark hours are fading. Mid-month, the sun stays more than 10 degrees below the horizon for 8.7 hours in Tromsø, 8.8 in Abisko, 9.1 in Rovaniemi, 9.3 in Fairbanks, 9.4 in Reykjavík and 9.5 in Yellowknife. In February the same places had 12.3 to 12.7 hours.
The air has softened. Mean temperature during dark hours is 0C in Reykjavík, -6C in Tromsø, -8C in Rovaniemi, -11C in Abisko, -16C in Fairbanks and -19C in Yellowknife.
The Russell-McPherron model predicts a peak in geomagnetic activity near 5 April. That is a tendency in solar activity, not in cloud, and its size is not agreed. Our March figures have nothing to do with it: they count dark, clear nights only.
Where the sky is on your side
A usable night means at least two dark hours in a row with half the sky or more free of cloud, averaged over a satellite cell about 110 km across. In March 95% of five-night stays in Yellowknife and in Whitehorse had one, and 92% in Fairbanks.
The best Nordic figure is Kiruna at 87%, its best month, with 40% of nights usable. Rovaniemi follows at 82%, also its best month, with Saariselkä on 78% and Levi on 74%. That matches the FMI statement that March and early April are the best time in northern Finland. Abisko is on 69% and Reykjavík on 60%. Then comes a drop: Akureyri and Luleå have 37%, and Tromsø 31%, the lowest figure anywhere in our table. Luleå was on 66% in February. In our data the coastal places fall in March while Kiruna and the Finnish places rise. Compare Tromsø and Rovaniemi directly.
How many nights to plan
Rovaniemi gives 66% for three nights, 82% for five and 89% for seven. Kiruna gives 72%, 87% and 94%. Reykjavík gives 45%, 60% and 69%. Tromsø gives 21%, 31% and 39%. Seven nights in Tromsø fall well short of three in Yellowknife (90%). Use the nights calculator for other places.
Is it a good month to book a tour?
Yes on sky grounds. The cards below are for Yellowknife and Whitehorse, the month's top two places. The Yellowknife minibus trip is from EUR 74.82 per person for four hours (checked 5 October 2026) and states no policy for a night without aurora. The Whitehorse tour is from EUR 110.68 for four hours and offers a repeat if the lights do not appear. The season is closing, though. Several direct flights to Rovaniemi stop in the last week of March (last dates 24 March 2027 for easyJet from Gatwick, 25 March for Ryanair from Paris Beauvais, 27 March from Milan Bergamo). Abisko's Aurora Sky Station night visits end on 27 March 2027. See whether a tour is worth it.
Tours in the best-placed destinations for March
The two places with the most usable nights this month, with what each listing says about a night without aurora.
Whitehorse
Minibus tour
Whitehorse Northern Lights Tour
If no aurora shows: second attempt offered.
If the lights don't appear during the tour, you can contact us, and we'll offer you the opportunity to repeat the tour.
from €111
See dates and price
Common questions
Is March a good month for the northern lights?
It depends on where you are. In March 95% of five-night stays in Yellowknife and 82% in Rovaniemi had at least one usable night, but only 31% in Tromsø. The Finnish Meteorological Institute names March and early April the best time in northern Finland.
Is March or September better for the northern lights?
March is better in Fairbanks (92% against 79%), Abisko (69% against 52%) and Rovaniemi (82% against 78%). September is better in Reykjavík (68% against 60%) and Tromsø (53% against 31%). Yellowknife is level at 95% and 94%.
Why is Tromsø so low in March?
Our statistics show the drop but do not explain it. Only 9% of March nights had a usable sky, against 19% in February. Cloud is the only factor beyond darkness in that figure, so more March cloud is the likely cause, though we have not tested it. A second test on ERA5 data puts Tromsø a little higher.