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What is the weather like in Norway in December?

Temperatures, daylight, polar night and what to wear in December.

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Short answer

December in Norway is cold and dark, with average temperatures just below freezing in Oslo, above freezing in Bergen and below −10 °C in inland Finnmark. December averages −1.4 °C in Oslo and −12.0 °C at Karasjok in the 1991–2020 normal. Southern Norway gets six to eight hours of daylight, while much of the north has polar night.

Travelling in Norway in winter a round calendar wheel with four seasons shown as a snowflake, a leaf, a sun and a raindrop around a small mountain

Why

  1. In most of Northern Norway the sun does not rise, or only briefly peeks over the horizon, from mid-November to the end of January.
  2. Bergen's December normal is 3.1 °C with 290 mm of precipitation, the wettest month of the year there.
  3. Christmas markets are held around the country in November and December, according to Visit Norway.

Details

Snow is common around Oslo, where average winter temperatures are just below zero, while the west coast is usually mild and wet. Northern Norway is dark from the afternoon until late morning, which gives long hours for seeing the northern lights. Roads and mountain passes can close during heavy snow and strong wind.

Tip

Wear wool next to the skin and a windproof, waterproof jacket, and plan sightseeing for the few hours of daylight.

What may differ

In Bodø and Lofoten, the sun stays below the horizon for about a month. Inland Finnmark is much colder than the coast: Karasjok averages −12.0 °C in December, Tromsø −1.7 °C.

People also ask

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  • What should I wear in Norway in December?

Sources

Information checked on 15 October 2026.

Travelling in Norway in winter
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