April 24th, 2022
Up Guide - How to Dress for Success in the Norwegian Weather
April 24th, 2022
Written by
Sondre Sommerfelt in collaboration with Up Norway
A cosmopolitan travel writerTailor your own journey. Come on Up!
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This Up Guide is written by insider Sondre Sommerfelt; A cosmopolitan anthropologist, travel writer and cultural entrepreneur, for Up Norway.
Sondre is an Oslo-based travel writer, sailor, skier and cultural critic. He loves the outdoors and city life (who doesn’t) and knows everything that moves on Norway’s cultural and music scene. Enjoy his humorous - yet useful - guides to Norway.
If there's one single piece of information whose accuracy this guide can guarantee, it's that the weather will change
To Put It Bluntly: Norway’s Weather Can Be Unpredictable. Despite sharing the same latitude as Alaska, Greenland and Siberia, Norway nevertheless has a pleasant climate compared to those places thanks to the Gulf Stream and warm air currents.
That said, Norway has the most variable weather in the world, and some of its biggest temperature differences: the country can offer everything from full- blown storms to temperate chillout zones, with temperatures varying from freezing Arctic conditions to a balmy Mediterranean calm within days (or, if you’re lucky, minutes.) On one occasion, a 45.9 degree difference between Norway’s hottest and coldest place was measured on the same day.
So yes, the Norwegian climate can be complex, but let’s focus on fundamental positives. You may not swelter in Norway in August, but summers are instead usually pleasant, with plenty of light. The North, meanwhile, enjoys the finest Northern celestial phenomena: you can enjoy the midnight sun in summer, while Northern Lights will keep you fertile through winter.
‘Det finnes ikke dårlig vær, bare dårlige klær' (There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes)
Dress for success, people, which means dress for each and every surprise that may come your way. That is why locals tend to spend their lives wearing Gore-tex and down jackets throughout the year, or at least keep one rolled up in their rucksack for safety reasons. So bring good outerwear, at least in the winter. Yes, in Norway it’s practicality first, fashion week second.
A tip for inexperienced foreigners: please do as the Scandinavians do – wear a wool layer against your skin when it is cold. Cotton or synthetic fabrics may keep you warm when you are dry, but it does not help when you get wet, humid, or sweat like a sow in a steam room. Wool does the trick. And because it is ‘all natural’, it will not transmit unpleasant body odours, so you can wear it over and over again. (Well, that is the theory!) At the very least, invest in woollen socks. Please! And nope, modern woollen sports fabrics do not itch – try the Merino wool or cashmere varieties. The wool-aficionados of course favour a silk-cashmere mix. That probably goes without saying. So, prepare to gear up before you go out on thrilling outdoor extravaganzas. Even in the summer.
About Norway
A fjord is created when a glacier retreats after carving its typical U-shaped valley, and the sea fills the resulting valley floor. In Norway, we have 1190 of them. However, Norway’s fjords are more than just pretty scenery. The culture of fjord Norway is as deep as the mountains are tall.
People often want to know the exact week or day they should travel, and what time of day they should have their cameras ready. While there is no cosmic light switch, we know what makes Norway special when it comes to the Northern Lights phenomenon. One of our favourite Aurora Borealis journeys is described here.
Situated halfway between the Scandinavian Peninsula and the North Pole you will find Svalbard. Here the Polar Bears rule, and have earned their right to do so. The population of Polar Bears outweighs the human population considerably. If you would like to explore the natural habitat of the Polar Bear, our best Insider Tips is to include an expedition cruise in your Up Norway journey. Get inspired here.
Norway’s weather can be unpredictable. Despite sharing the same latitude as Alaska, Greenland and Siberia, Norway nevertheless has a pleasant climate compared to those places thanks to the Gulf Stream and warm air currents. That said, rapid changes in the weather are normal, and something you have to be prepared for as a traveller in the North.
The average temperature during the summer months in Norway is 13-18 degrees Celcius and in the winter -7 degrees Celcius. This however depends on where you are in our elongated country, and we guide you through exactly what you need for any occasion!
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