Skåne and its oceanic climate
At the southern tip of the country, Skåne has a more oceanic climate than the rest of the country. This means that winters are milder, although summers are no warmer. There is little snow in winter, and temperatures average between 3 and -1°C. In this region, spring appears as early as March. However, the mildness of this oceanic climate is often accompanied by cloudy skies and wind and rain, so don't forget your jacket!
The south-central region and its semi-continental climate
In the south-central part of the country, where the country's largest cities (Stockholm and Gothenburg) are located, the winters are cold and the summers are pleasantly warm. In winter the temperature is between -4 and 5°C, while in summer it stays between 16 and 23°C. While the climate is dry on the east coast, with little rainfall (often in late summer), on the west coast the Atlantic currents prevail and the climate is cloudy, rainy and windy. For swimming, the water temperature is between 16 and 18°C in the middle of summer, enough to cool off during the very long summer days. Autumn is slow to set in and remains mild (a transition comparable to that in northern France).
North Central and Lapland, the polar influence
In the far north of Sweden, the climate is quite simple: long, dark and icy winter, short, bright and mild summer. The sun plays an important role in these great seasonal variations, the region being crossed by the polar circle. In summer and winter, we can observe some very interesting natural phenomena. In summer, the sun hardly sets, so we can witness the spectacular midnight sun, with temperatures between 10 and 15 °C (yes, you can't have everything!). In winter, on the contrary, the sun hardly rises and the average temperatures are between -9 and -19 °C, with at the coldest moments temperatures that can go down to -40 °C! In exchange for this unwelcoming climate, the sky offers unparalleled lights, and freezing your butt off is worth an aurora borealis!
