Norway Weather

Norway climate

Norway's weather is defined by the extraordinary contrast between its mild, Gulf Stream-warmed coast and the harsh interior and Arctic regions. The Norwegian coast is among the most anomalously warm places for its latitude on Earth — Bergen at 60°N has winter temperatures averaging 2°C, warmer than much of central Europe. This warmth comes from the North Atlantic Current, a branch of the Gulf Stream that keeps Norwegian ports ice-free year-round.

The western coast is one of the wettest areas in Europe, with Bergen receiving over 2,200mm of annual rainfall and some mountain areas exceeding 3,500mm. Eastern Norway behind the Scandinavian Mountains is much drier and has a more continental climate. The Arctic regions of northern Norway experience extreme daylight variations, with the midnight sun from May to July and polar night from November to January in areas like Tromsø and Hammerfest.

Oslo has a continental climate by Norwegian standards, with cold winters around -4°C, warm summers reaching 22°C, and less rainfall than the west coast. Bergen is mild but extremely rainy, with precipitation on over 230 days per year. Tromsø in northern Norway is surprisingly mild for its Arctic location thanks to the Gulf Stream, but still experiences genuine Arctic conditions with heavy snowfall and dramatic Northern Lights displays.