One country, 5 climates
Although located in the north of Europe, Norway enjoys a milder climate than most people imagine, thanks in no small part to the Gulf Stream, the current of warm water that flows from the Caribbean Sea across the Atlantic Ocean and along the Norwegian coast to the North Cape. So, while temperatures can be harsh inland, the fjords are almost never covered in ice in winter. In Tromsø, for example, a town on Norway's northernmost coast, the average winter temperature is just -4°C, while in Karasjok, located at the same latitude as Tromsø but in the interior of the Finnmark plateau, the thermometer can fall to -50°C in winter. The Gulf Stream softens the maritime climate, so that in the fjords, the shores are green and the water rarely drops below zero. Today, the gradual cessation of the Gulf Stream as a result of global warming is gradually leading to many irreversible climate changes, including a cooling of the water where the warm currents currently flow.
The west coast: with its many fjords, it is highly exposed to maritime influences. Its climate is cool and wet, with rain and wind, but relatively mild temperatures.
Norway's northern coast: a little colder, although the sea doesn't yet freeze at this latitude, making it unique in the world. Again, this is due to the influence of a branch of the Gulf Stream that reaches this latitude.
The south-southeast coast: its climate is less influenced by the ocean than the west coast. As a result, it is less humid, but colder in winter and hotter in summer.
Inland areas: continental climate, cold and snowy in winter, mild in summer and mountain climate at higher altitudes.
Southeastern Norway: Baltic-continental climate, cold and snowy in winter, mild in summer. Rain more frequent in summer and autumn.
When the clouds meet the mountains
Abundant precipitation on the west coast is another consequence of this climatic phenomenon and the geography where the sea meets the mountains. As the Gulf Stream warms the sea, there is more evaporation and therefore more clouds. These then bump up against the mountains and turn back into rain. Surrounded by mountains and situated on the fjords in south-western Norway, the city of Bergen, for example, averages around 239 days of rain a year, making it one of the rainiest cities in Europe! In other words, it's best to have a good raincoat at hand! As the Norwegian proverb says: " Det finnes ikke dårlig vær, bare dårlige klær " (There's no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes).
Uneven seasons
The seasons in Norway vary considerably from place to place, due to the country's varied terrain. So, while spring blossoms in the south and vegetation explodes, winter is often still with us in the north - differences that can be found in France, for example, between the Camargue and the higher altitudes of Savoy. And while Norway is a northern country in itself for many visitors, for Norwegians, the North only begins beyond the Arctic Circle, from Narvik onwards. Nordland would thus be the first fylke (county) to belong to the North. The perception of the climate differs between Norway (and Scandinavia in general) and the countries of southern Europe: 0°C is not perceived as a really cold temperature in Norway, and conversely, it would be rather hot from +10°C, where you can already see Norwegians going out in T-shirts!
