Norway weather is largely cold and wet with pronounced variations. However, despite its northern location and irrespective of the fact it lies on the same latitude as Alaska, Greenland and Siberia, Norway weather is considerably more pleasant than either of the three, and certainly much friendlier that its geographical position implies, thanks to the impact the huge, warm and steady ocean current near its shores has on its patterns.
As mentioned earlier, Norway weather is characterized by its great variations. This is rather unsurprising especially when one takes into consideration that there is a span of 13 degrees of latitude between its southernmost and northernmost points. Another reason weather in Norway is typified by such great fluctuation over short distances is the country’s rugged terrain. These differences are more pronounced in Northern Norway: while in summer the sun remains perched on its pedestal well into the night and is still visible by midnight, the winter season experiences no sunshine whatsoever.
The seasons
As December rolls in, Norway’s winter season is well and truly on its way. Lasting until February, winter is harsh along the coast from Lista (Vest-Agder) to the Lofoten area (Nordland) experiencing mean temperatures that just hover above freezing point, becoming worse in the lower inland areas, both in the southern and northern part of Norway with temperatures well bellow 0°C. Meanwhile the inner districts of Troms county and the inner districts of Ψstlandet are known to experience severe conditions during the winter season, with temperatures below -40 °C, although this phenomenon doesn’t necessary make an appearance every year. Finally, the North-western part of Norway is exposed to foehn-effect in situations with strong southerly wind and occasionally experiences almost summer-like temperatures.
The emergence of spring also signals the time when the increasing solar energy warms up the land areas, melting away the snow cover. In early spring a zone near the coast of Western Norway experiences the highest temperatures although by May the reigns are handed over to the southern part of Ψstlandet.
During the summer season (June to August) Norway weather is fine and pleasant. In Northern Norway the impact of the “midnight sun” phenomenon on the area’s weather is so great, daytime temperatures are pushed to highs around 30°C.
In summer the warmest areas are the southern part of Ψstlandet and the coastal areas of ψSrlandet.
Land areas lose more than the sea during the autumn season and as a result the highest temperatures are registered in the coastal areas. In September the outer part of the Oslofjord has the highest mean temperatures. Later in the autumn, the warmest areas are found at the coast of Rogaland and Hordaland.
Precipitation
Although Norway received abundant rainfall, precipitation varies between 500 and 3000 mm per year. The coastal areas receive the bulk of Norway’s annual precipitation and rainfalls are more frequent autumn and winter. The inland and eastern parts of Norway receive considerably less precipitation, while the inner districts of Eastern Norway experience showery precipitation, especially during summer, considered being the area’s wettest season. In sharp contrast, winter and spring are by far the driest.
