Norway changes more between seasons than most countries. Here is when to go for the lights, the midnight sun, the fjords, hiking and skiing, with the weather month by month.
| You want | When | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Northern lights | Late August to late March (Visit Norway). Hurtigruten gives October to the end of March. | Highest activity in March and April and in September and October. |
| Midnight sun | Late May to late July in much of northern Norway. | Exact dates depend on how far north you are. See the table below. |
| Fjord cruising and Geirangerfjord | Summer, June to August (Hurtigruten). | Hurtigruten also suggests Trollfjord and Hjørundfjord in autumn, when it is quieter. |
| Hiking | Summer under the midnight sun, and autumn (Hurtigruten). | Trolltunga’s main season for independent hikers is 1 June to 31 August, and Visit Norway says winter hikes need a guide. |
| Skiing | December to April, with February a peak (Hurtigruten, Visit Norway). | First snow reaches the highest peaks in late September or early October, and most resorts open in December. Narvikfjellet usually skis November to June. |
| Whale watching | Visit Norway: winter safaris mid-January to April, summer safaris early May to early November. | Visit Tromsø says orcas and humpbacks near Tromsø are mainly early November to the end of January. Sperm whales at Andenes can be seen all year. |
Average daily high and low in °C, 1991 to 2020. Oslo uses the Blindern station, Bergen the Florida station and Tromsø the Vervarslinga station, so these are not city-centre readings.
| Month | Oslo high / low | Bergen high / low | Tromsø high / low |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 0.1 / -4.7 | 4.7 / 0.6 | -1.0 / -5.3 |
| Feb | 1.1 / -4.7 | 4.9 / 0.1 | -1.2 / -5.6 |
| Mar | 5.3 / -2.1 | 6.9 / 1.3 | 0.6 / -4.4 |
| Apr | 11.0 / 2.1 | 11.1 / 3.9 | 4.1 / -1.6 |
| May | 16.7 / 6.8 | 15.0 / 6.9 | 8.8 / 2.4 |
| Jun | 20.4 / 10.8 | 17.7 / 10.1 | 13.0 / 6.2 |
| Jul | 22.7 / 13.4 | 19.6 / 12.4 | 16.3 / 9.0 |
| Aug | 21.3 / 12.5 | 19.4 / 12.4 | 15.0 / 8.3 |
| Sep | 16.4 / 8.6 | 16.1 / 9.9 | 10.9 / 5.3 |
| Oct | 9.6 / 3.8 | 11.7 / 6.1 | 5.2 / 0.9 |
| Nov | 4.4 / 0.0 | 7.6 / 3.1 | 2.1 / -1.9 |
| Dec | 0.9 / -3.7 | 5.3 / 1.0 | 0.3 / -3.9 |
Bergen is far wetter than Oslo or Tromsø. Wikipedia gives it about 2,495 mm of rain a year, which is why a waterproof matters whatever the month.
The sun does not set at all in the far north for part of the summer. Dates below are from Visit Norway and are approximate.
| Place | Midnight sun |
|---|---|
| Svalbard | 20 April to 22 August |
| North Cape | 14 May to 29 July |
| Hammerfest | 16 May to 27 July |
| Vardø | 17 May to 26 July |
| Tromsø | 20 May to 22 July |
| Vesterålen (Andenes) | 22 May to 21 July |
| Harstad | 25 May to 18 July |
| Lofoten | 28 May to 14 July |
| Bodø | 4 June to 8 July |
| Arctic Circle | 12 June to 1 July |
In winter the sun stays below the horizon. Visit Norway gives these periods:
Bodø has no true polar night, but mountains block the sun in the second half of December. In the polar night the sky does not stay black: the Norwegians call the soft afternoon twilight blåtimen, the blue hour.
It depends what you want. Hurtigruten describes summer (June to August) as the busiest season with the longest days and temperatures above 20°C, autumn (September and October) as quieter with the northern lights returning, winter (November to February) as the season for skiing and snow activities, and spring (March to May) as a time when the south is blooming while the north may still be wintry.
Visit Norway says late August to late March, with the highest activity in spring and autumn. See our northern lights guide.
In Tromsø, 20 May to 22 July, according to Visit Norway. Further north it lasts longer, and on Svalbard from 20 April to 22 August. See the table above.
No. The road is usually open from mid-May to October or November and can close at short notice in heavy rain, according to Visit Norway. The Ørnevegen road to Geiranger is open all year.
Facts on this site come from Visit Norway, the Norwegian Meteorological Institute, UNESCO, gov.uk and the operators named, each listed at the foot of the page. Check dates, prices and entry rules with the provider before you book.