Add organization

What is the weather like in Norway in May?

May temperatures, rain, light and clothing tips for a spring trip.

Answered at: Checked at:

Short answer

May is late spring in Norway, with 1991–2020 normals of about 11 °C in Oslo and Bergen and just over 5 °C in Tromsø. Days are long, the midnight sun starts on 14 May at the North Cape, and 17 May is the national day. Pack layers and a waterproof jacket.

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

Why

  1. Visit Norway says the warmest weather in May is often found in the southern part of Eastern Norway and in Southern Norway.
  2. May is the driest month in Bergen, with a precipitation normal of 109 mm against 256 mm in January.
  3. Visit Norway lists the midnight sun at the North Cape from 14 May and in Tromsø from 20 May.

Details

Snow melts in the lowlands first, so mountain areas can still be wintry: the May normal at Finsevatn, a mountain station at Finse, is 0.5 °C. Visit Norway notes that melting snow creates waterfalls everywhere and that flowers are in bloom in May. Of the spring celebrations, it calls the national day on 17 May the most fun.

Tip

Pack layers with a warm mid layer and a windproof, waterproof jacket; Visit Norway warns that spring weather is especially unpredictable, with sun, rain and even snow possible.

What may differ

In the far north May is still cool: the normal is 4.5 °C in Karasjok and −2.2 °C at Svalbard Airport, where the midnight sun has already begun on 20 April.

People also ask

  • What should I wear in Norway in May?
  • Is May a good time to visit Norway?

Sources

Information checked on 15 October 2026; normals are 30-year averages, and May weather varies a lot from year to year.

Norway in autumn, winter and spring
Help