Best time to go to Norway for a perfect weather and where to go?
Find the best time to visit Norway from seasonal norms in many locations like Stavanger or Honningsvåg, below.
When is the best time to go to Norway?
The right time to explore Norway is undoubtedly the period from May to September. Nature awakens from its torpor and the snow begins to melt, many hiking trails are also opened to the public. During this period, the cruises that are taken along the fjords are magical and with flowering fruit trees, the scenery is breathtaking. The peak tourist season in Norway is the period between mid-June and mid-August, as tourists flock in to admire the midnight sun, to enjoy the long days, to have fun and to relax. The reasons for the increase in winter tourists are numerous: the desire to ski among the beautiful ski resorts and the admiration of the Northern Lights that are a natural phenomena manifesting as a curtain of dancing lights - just to name a few. The winter is also a good time to visit Norway for those who wish to explore the northern parts, by means of dogsled. For such an activity, remember to organize your trip in advance as public transport is scarce and most hostels are closed.
So, when is the best time to go to Norway? Here's some more information to help you in your decision:
- In Norway, the weather is good across more than 53% of the territory for: July and August
- The best months to go to Oslo are June, July and August
- On average, the warmest months in Oslo are July and August, and the coldest months are January and February
- The rainiest months in this city are May, June, July, August and October
- The cities with the best climate are Kristiansand, Sandefjord, Arendal, Drammen, Drobak, Fredrikstad, Grimstad, Halden, Horten and Kragero, with good weather at least 4 months a year
- The best months for swimming in Oslo are July and August
Annual weather in Norway
For information about the climate and the weather city by city in Norway for a specific month, click on the corresponding line below:
| Month | Our opinion | View Details | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 2°F to 41°F | very bad weather | |||
| February | 2°F to 41°F | very bad weather | |||
| March | 5°F to 43°F | very bad weather | |||
| April | 13°F to 50°F | very bad weather | |||
| May | 25°F to 61°F | very bad weather* | |||
| June | 32°F to 68°F | tolerable weather* | |||
| July | 34°F to 72°F | good weather* | |||
| August | 36°F to 68°F | good weather* | |||
| September | 32°F to 63°F | tolerable weather* | |||
| October | 22°F to 54°F | very bad weather* | |||
| November | 11°F to 49°F | very bad weather | |||
| December | 5°F to 45°F | very bad weather |
Best time to travel to Norway by cities
Oslo
The best months to go to Oslo are june, july and august.
Bergen
The best time to go to Bergen is july.
Lofoten
The best months to go to Lofoten are july and august.
Climate and Weather in Norway
A neighbor to Sweden, Finland and even Russia, Norway is a country with pleasant weather and the continued presence of rain! The sun does consistently appear between the showers but the country remains nonetheless very humid. In general, the climate in Norway is rather temperate, even if one can observe huge temperature differences from - 40° C in the east to + 30° C in Oslo, the capital. Moreover, rain and wind can help drop the temperatures by several degrees in only a few hours.
Climate in Southern Norway
It is here, in southern Norway that one discovers the highest national daily sunshine rate. It is furthermore in the summertime that this is at its most noticeable. In fact, between late June and early August, the weather is hot and the days are loaded with sun. There is little humidity and the air coming in from the coast pleasantly refreshes the atmosphere. However, the rest of the year is more humid and more especially in autumn, when the weather is unstable, just as with their Swedish neighbor, Gothenburg. It is important to take caution in winter as snow storms are not uncommon.
Climate in Eastern Norway
In this part of Norway, the four seasons are well defined and are more temperate. In the summer the weather is hot but it rarely rises beyond 25° C. The rest of the year, it is rather cool, though the temperatures are always a little more pleasant around Oslo and its fjord. In winter, the coast generally enjoys a mild climate and temperatures are largely within the negatives throughout the land. Also in spring, it is not uncommon for it to be cold enough for one to observe snow falling.
Climate in the Norwegian Fjords
In Norway, the fjords enjoy a relatively mild climate, thanks to the presence of the Gulf Stream. As in the rest of the country, the climate is hot during the summer and factually, a little more rare: it is also nice in the winter. At this time, it is common that the Norwegian fjords do not freeze. In addition, in this period and particularly on the west coast, rain and wind are quite common.
The Northern Climate of Norway
Located at the same latitude as Alaska and Greenland, northern Norway is cold, yes, but with a milder climate than its counterparts. The most amazing season is still the summer due to the midnight sun, which starts in mid-May and does not stop until the end of July. This period is also known as the hottest one. Another specificity in this part of Norway where one finds a part of Lapland: the sun never rises between mid-November and the end of January and therefore, occasionally allows to admire the northern Lights. During the winter it is very cold, especially in the city of Tromso.
Climate in Central Norway
Inland, it is hot throughout the summer season during which the sun never really sets. In addition, at this time of the year the atmosphere is not very humid, unlike the rest of it. The winters are particularly cold and characterized by heavy snow. However on the coast, the weather is mild thanks to the Gulf Stream. In spring, the temperatures may remain quite low.
Temperatures and rainfall in Norway
On these 3 graphs, we present the evolution of temperatures of Norway and month-by-month rainfall for the cities of Oslo, Bergen, Lofoten, Spitzberg (Svalbard) and Stavanger, as well as the month-by-month sea temperature for coastal cities.
Peak visitor numbers and tourist seasons in Norway
Find out when Norway has its high tourist season (the period when the influx of tourists is highest) and off-peak tourist season using our data and figures.
Tourist seasons in Norway
The months with low numbers of tourists are: January, February, March, April, May, September, October, November and December. The number of visitors to Norway is high in: June, July and August.
- Very low season in Norway: November and December.
- Low season in Norway: January, February, March, April, May, September and October.
- High season in Norway: June.
- Peak season in Norway: July and August.
Figure: Visitor index for Norway month by month
Average price for flights to Norway
A return flight between New York City and Oslo is generally cheaper if you go in october ($ 518 on average): this is the best time for travellers on a tight budget. In contrast, you may end up paying $ 566 more for your airline ticket to Oslo if you go in july.
Where to go in Norway?
This table allows you to see the maximum temperature for each city and our opinion on the weather month by month (see colour legend below the table).
| Cities | jan. | feb. | mar. | apr. | may | jun. | jul. | aug. | sep. | oct. | nov. | dec. |
| Oslo | 27°F | 29°F | 36°F | 49°F | 58°F | 67°F | 70°F | 67°F | 59°F | 49°F | 38°F | 31°F |
| Bergen | 38°F | 38°F | 41°F | 47°F | 52°F | 59°F | 63°F | 63°F | 59°F | 52°F | 45°F | 41°F |
| Lofoten | 38°F | 38°F | 38°F | 41°F | 47°F | 52°F | 56°F | 58°F | 54°F | 49°F | 45°F | 41°F |
| Spitzberg (Svalbard) | 20°F | 18°F | 16°F | 22°F | 31°F | 36°F | 40°F | 40°F | 38°F | 29°F | 23°F | 20°F |
| Stavanger | 41°F | 40°F | 43°F | 47°F | 52°F | 58°F | 63°F | 63°F | 59°F | 54°F | 49°F | 43°F |
| Trondheim | 29°F | 31°F | 36°F | 43°F | 54°F | 61°F | 67°F | 65°F | 59°F | 47°F | 38°F | 32°F |
| Ålesund | 40°F | 40°F | 41°F | 45°F | 50°F | 54°F | 59°F | 61°F | 58°F | 52°F | 47°F | 43°F |
| Bodø | 31°F | 32°F | 34°F | 40°F | 47°F | 54°F | 59°F | 59°F | 54°F | 45°F | 40°F | 34°F |
| Flekkefjord | 36°F | 36°F | 40°F | 47°F | 56°F | 61°F | 65°F | 65°F | 59°F | 52°F | 45°F | 40°F |
| Hamar | 23°F | 27°F | 36°F | 47°F | 59°F | 67°F | 70°F | 67°F | 59°F | 47°F | 36°F | 27°F |
| Kristiansand | 38°F | 36°F | 41°F | 49°F | 56°F | 63°F | 67°F | 67°F | 61°F | 52°F | 47°F | 41°F |
| Longyearbyen | 16°F | 14°F | 13°F | 20°F | 29°F | 36°F | 41°F | 41°F | 36°F | 27°F | 22°F | 18°F |
| Narvik | 23°F | 25°F | 29°F | 36°F | 43°F | 54°F | 63°F | 61°F | 54°F | 41°F | 34°F | 29°F |
| Nordaustlandet | 23°F | 22°F | 16°F | 20°F | 29°F | 34°F | 38°F | 38°F | 36°F | 31°F | 25°F | 23°F |
| Rorvik | 36°F | 36°F | 40°F | 43°F | 50°F | 56°F | 59°F | 61°F | 58°F | 49°F | 43°F | 40°F |
| Sandefjord | 34°F | 34°F | 40°F | 49°F | 56°F | 63°F | 68°F | 67°F | 61°F | 52°F | 45°F | 40°F |
| Steinkjer | 29°F | 31°F | 36°F | 45°F | 56°F | 63°F | 68°F | 67°F | 58°F | 47°F | 36°F | 31°F |
| Valle | 27°F | 31°F | 36°F | 45°F | 56°F | 67°F | 68°F | 67°F | 58°F | 47°F | 38°F | 31°F |
| Edgeøya | 25°F | 25°F | 20°F | 23°F | 31°F | 36°F | 40°F | 41°F | 40°F | 36°F | 31°F | 29°F |
| Femundsmarka National Park | 20°F | 23°F | 29°F | 36°F | 49°F | 58°F | 63°F | 59°F | 52°F | 40°F | 31°F | 23°F |
Legend:
good weather
tolerable weather
bad weather
very bad weather
About Norway
What can I do in Norway?
Beaches / swimming
Nature and countryside
Culture and heritage
Sports
Family travel
Crafts / shopping
Gastronomy
Nightlife
Is this weather information for Norway reliable?
Climate data for Norway has been gathered every day since January 2009. The analysis of these meteorological data for Norway allows us to determine the average for each month in Oslo, Bergen, Lofoten, Spitzberg (Svalbard), Stavanger, Trondheim, Ålesund, Bodø, and 92 other cities.
So yes: this data is reliable except in cases of temporary climate disruption in the region.