November: the northern lights as polar night arrives
Nights run to about 14 hours or more everywhere. Tromsø has the most darkness of the twelve and the weakest sky record, which is the month's main lesson.
- Best sky: Fairbanks
- 14 to 15 dark hours
- 12 places compared
Most reviewed tour in Fairbanks
Day trip with aurora stop
Chena Hot Springs & Northern Lights Tour
If no aurora shows: the listing does not say. Ask before booking.
from €244
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 November
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1FairbanksAlaska, USA | 14.3 h | 75% | 88% | 94% | Kp 2 | -15 °C | |
| 2WhitehorseCanada | 13.8 h | 72% | 85% | 92% | Kp 3 | -14 °C | |
| 3YellowknifeCanada | 14 h | 65% | 79% | 87% | Kp 1 | -20 °C | |
| 4ReykjavíkIceland | 14.2 h | 57% | 74% | 84% | Kp 2 | 2 °C | |
| 5KirunaSweden | 14.8 h | 58% | 73% | 80% | Kp 2 | -9 °C | |
| 6LuleåSweden | 14.3 h | 57% | 72% | 80% | Kp 3 | -3 °C | |
| 7AbiskoSweden | 14.8 h | 51% | 68% | 79% | Kp 2 | -8 °C | |
| 8RovaniemiFinland | 14.5 h | 49% | 65% | 74% | Kp 3 | -6 °C | |
| 9SaariselkäFinland | 14.8 h | 50% | 65% | 75% | Kp 2 | -8 °C | |
| 10LeviFinland | 14.7 h | 47% | 60% | 68% | Kp 2 | -8 °C | |
| 11AkureyriIceland | 14.3 h | 38% | 52% | 63% | Kp 2 | -5 °C | |
| 12TromsøNorway | 15.1 h | 36% | 49% | 59% | Kp 1 | -4 °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 November is like
November is when the far north goes dark in earnest. Mid-month, the sun stays more than 10 degrees below the horizon for 15.1 hours in Tromsø, 14.8 in Abisko, 14.5 in Rovaniemi, 14.3 in Fairbanks, 14.2 in Reykjavík and 14.0 in Yellowknife. Tromsø's astronomical polar night begins on 28 November, and the mountains hide the sun from about 21 November (a secondary source).
The temperature is where the places differ most. The mean air temperature during dark hours is 2C in Reykjavík, -4C in Tromsø, -6C in Rovaniemi, -8C in Abisko, -15C in Fairbanks and -20C in Yellowknife. That is 22 degrees between the mildest and the coldest.
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. This is Fairbanks' month: 88% of five-night stays in Fairbanks had at least one usable night and 46% of single nights qualified. Whitehorse is second on 85%. Yellowknife is on 79%, nine points behind Fairbanks, the widest gap in Fairbanks' favour of any month. Destination Canada describes a cloudier spell in Yellowknife from early October to mid-November.
The European places sit lower. Reykjavík has 74%, the best Nordic figure, with Kiruna on 73% and Luleå on 72%. Abisko has 68%, Rovaniemi and Saariselkä 65% and Levi 60%. Akureyri is on 52% and Tromsø is last at 49%, even with the longest night of the twelve. More darkness does not buy a better sky.
How many nights to plan
Fairbanks gives 75% for three nights, 88% for five and 94% for seven. Whitehorse gives 72%, 85% and 92%. Abisko gives 51%, 68% and 79%. Tromsø gives 36%, 49% and 59%. A week in Tromsø (59%) does less than three nights in Fairbanks (75%) for the sky alone. The nights calculator shows any other place and length.
Is it a good month to book a tour?
November is the start of the winter schedules. For this winter, Norwegian begins Helsinki to Tromsø flights on 18 November 2026 (Wednesdays and Sundays, to mid-March), and easyJet begins London Gatwick to Rovaniemi on 11 November 2026. The cards below are for the month's top two places. In Fairbanks the viewing lodge evening is from EUR 177.66 per person for five hours (checked 5 October 2026), and none of the three Fairbanks listings states a 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. We cover the options in whether a tour is worth it and what to do if no aurora shows.
Tours in the best-placed destinations for November
The two places with the most usable nights this month, with what each listing says about a night without aurora.
Fairbanks
Viewing lodge
Fairbanks Aurora Viewing Lodge Experience
If no aurora shows: the listing does not say. Ask before booking.
from €178
See dates and priceDay trip with aurora stop
Arctic Circle & Northern Lights Tour
If no aurora shows: the listing does not say. Ask before booking.
from €322
See dates and price
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
Can you see the northern lights in November?
Yes. Nights are about 14 to 15 hours long at all twelve places. In November, 88% of five-night stays in Fairbanks had at least one usable night, against 49% in Tromsø. Solar activity is a separate factor.
Is November or December better for the northern lights?
December is better or level at every place except Luleå (69% against 72%): Yellowknife 95% against 79%, Fairbanks 96% against 88%, Reykjavík 76% against 74%, Abisko 71% against 68%, Rovaniemi 70% against 65%, Tromsø 50% against 49%. Those are five-night figures for a usable sky.
Does Tromsø have polar night in November?
It starts late in the month. The astronomical polar night runs from 28 November to 14 January, and because of the mountains the sun is hidden from roughly 21 November. Those dates come from a secondary source.