Winter
Dec → Feb-4 to -2°
nights -9 to -6°
- 16 rainy days · 122 mm
- sea 4°
When is the best time to visit Tromsø?
- Jan-4°recommended
- Feb-3°recommended
- Mar-1°recommended
- Apr3°fair
- May8°not recommended
- Jun13°not recommended
- Jul17°not recommended
- Aug16°fair
- Sep11°recommended
- Oct5°recommended
- Nov0°recommended
- Dec-2°fair
RecommendedFairNot recommended· afternoon temperature
The weather in Tromsø, month by month
The table of records, month by month
| Month | High | Low | Rainfall | Rainy days | Sea | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | -4° | -9° | 134 mm | 16 d | 3° | ✓ |
| February | -3° | -7° | 117 mm | 16 d | 3° | ✓ |
| March | -1° | -6° | 126 mm | 18 d | 2° | ✓ |
| April | 3° | -3° | 100 mm | 16 d | 3° | |
| May | 8° | 2° | 109 mm | 18 d | 6° | |
| June | 13° | 7° | 112 mm | 19 d | 10° | |
| July | 17° | 10° | 102 mm | 15 d | 13° | |
| August | 16° | 10° | 124 mm | 18 d | 14° | |
| September | 11° | 6° | 117 mm | 17 d | 11° | ✓ |
| October | 5° | 1° | 112 mm | 17 d | 8° | ✓ |
| November | 0° | -4° | 107 mm | 16 d | 6° | ✓ |
| December | -2° | -6° | 114 mm | 16 d | 5° |
The four seasons in Tromsø, in figures
What the 2015-2024 records (Tromsøya centre) show, season by season, to compare at a glance instead of reading twelve rows of a table.
Spring
Mar → May-1 to 8°
nights -6 to 2°
- 17 rainy days · 112 mm
- sea 4°
Summer
Jun → Aug13 to 17°
nights 7 to 10°
- 17 rainy days · 113 mm
- sea 12°
Autumn
Sep → Nov0 to 11°
nights -4 to 6°
- 17 rainy days · 112 mm
- sea 8°
Book early for January to March and September to November
The timing is right, so it is right for everyone: in these months the best places to stay and the small-group tours go first. Here is where to start.
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Daylight in Tromsø, month by month
The time between sunrise and sunset, from shortest to longest. Not to be confused with the sunshine hours in the table above, which count clear skies. In June there are 24h of daylight, in January 0h, a difference of 24h. Polar night sets in around January: the sun no longer rises. In June the sun does not set.
0hJan
7h09Feb
11h18Mar
15h54Apr
21h52May
24hJun
24hJul
17h58Aug
13h07Sep
8h45Oct
3h36Nov
0hDec
Calculated for the latitude of the reference point "Tromsøya centre" (69.65°). Values on the 15th of each month, local solar time.
What to do in Tromsø, month by month
| Activity | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beach & swimming | ||||||||||||
| Sightseeing & walks | ||||||||||||
| Long days | ||||||||||||
| Events | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
EventsNorthern lightsSeptember to MarchMidnight sunMay to JulyOrcas and humpback whalesNovember to JanuaryTromsø International Film FestivalJanuaryDetails ↓
favourablewith compromisesunfavourable
- Long days: April, May, June, July, August
Grid derived from the records (temperature, rainfall, sea), not from an opinion.
What's on in Tromsø, month by month?
What comes back every year, and when. Exact dates change from year to year, so check them before you book.
- September to MarchNorthern lights
The city sits beneath the auroral oval, and clear winter nights reveal green veils above the fjords.
- May to JulyMidnight sun
From late May to late July, the sun stays above the horizon and hikes can be done at any hour.
- November to JanuaryOrcas and humpback whales
They follow the herring shoals into the fjords north of the city, with boat trips leaving from Tromsø.
- JanuaryTromsø International Film Festival
A week of screenings in the depths of winter, with open-air showings in the town square in bitter cold.
Travelling off-peak
Month by month, in detail
January
Recommended-4°-9° at night
- 134 mm · 16 d
- sea 3°
Busy, without the crush
February
Recommended-3°-7° at night
- 117 mm · 16 d
- sea 3°
Busy, without the crush
March
Recommended-1°-6° at night
- 126 mm · 18 d
- sea 2°
Busy, without the crush
April
Fair3°-3° at night
- 100 mm · 16 d
- sea 3°
Low season, lower prices
May
Not recommended8°2° at night
- 109 mm · 18 d
- sea 6°
Low season, lower prices
June
Not recommended13°7° at night
- 112 mm · 19 d
- sea 10°
Low season, lower prices
July
Not recommended17°10° at night
- 102 mm · 15 d
- sea 13°
Low season, lower prices
August
Fair16°10° at night
- 124 mm · 18 d
- sea 14°
Busy, without the crush
September
Recommended11°6° at night
- 117 mm · 17 d
- sea 11°
Busy, without the crush
October
Recommended5°1° at night
- 112 mm · 17 d
- sea 8°
Busy, without the crush
November
Recommended0°-4° at night
- 107 mm · 16 d
- sea 6°
Busy, without the crush
December
Fair-2°-6° at night
- 114 mm · 16 d
- sea 5°
Quiet, then the holidays
Read the twelve months in detail
January. Deep winter: -4 °C at the warmest of the day, -9 °C at night. Frequent rain: 134 mm over 16 days. Sea at 3 °C, too cold to swim. Busy season, without the crush.
February. Deep winter: -3 °C at the warmest of the day, -7 °C at night. Frequent rain: 117 mm over 16 days. Sea at 3 °C, too cold to swim. Busy season, without the crush.
March. Deep winter: -1 °C at the warmest of the day, -6 °C at night. Frequent rain: 126 mm over 18 days. Sea at 2 °C, too cold to swim. Busy season, without the crush.
April. Deep winter: 3 °C at the warmest of the day, -3 °C at night. Frequent rain: 100 mm over 16 days. Sea at 3 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
May. Cool: 8 °C at best, 2 °C at night. A very wet month, 109 mm of rain over 18 days. Sea at 6 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
June. Cool: 13 °C at best, 7 °C at night. A very wet month, 112 mm of rain over 19 days. Sea at 10 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
July. Cool: 17 °C at best, 10 °C at night. A very wet month, 102 mm of rain over 15 days. Sea at 13 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
August. Cool: 16 °C at best, 10 °C at night. Frequent rain: 124 mm over 18 days. Sea at 14 °C, too cold to swim. Busy season, without the crush.
September. Cool: 11 °C at best, 6 °C at night. Frequent rain: 117 mm over 17 days. Sea at 11 °C, too cold to swim. Busy season, without the crush.
October. Deep winter: 5 °C at the warmest of the day, 1 °C at night. Frequent rain: 112 mm over 17 days. Sea at 8 °C, too cold to swim. Busy season, without the crush.
November. Deep winter: 0 °C at the warmest of the day, -4 °C at night. Frequent rain: 107 mm over 16 days. Sea at 6 °C, too cold to swim. Busy season, without the crush.
December. Deep winter: -2 °C at the warmest of the day, -6 °C at night. Frequent rain: 114 mm over 16 days. Sea at 5 °C, too cold to swim. Quiet at the start of the month, then busier as the holidays approach.
Same season, other ideas
Their best time overlaps with this one: worth comparing before you book.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Tromsø?
January to March and September to November: over these months, recorded highs range from -4 to 11 °C, with 17 days of rain a month on average (2015-2024 records, Tromsøya centre).
Which month should you avoid in Tromsø?
June: it is the wettest of the months to avoid, with 112 mm over 19 days of rain on average, according to 2015-2024 records at the reference point (Tromsøya centre).
What is the hottest month in Tromsø?
July, with 17 °C on average in the afternoon and 10 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Tromsøya centre).
What is the coldest month in Tromsø?
January, with -4 °C at best during the day and -9 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Tromsøya centre).
What is the driest month in Tromsø?
April: 100 mm over 16 days of rain, against 134 mm in January, the wettest month.
When can you swim in Tromsø?
The water stays cool all year (warmest 14 °C in August, measured in 2023-2024 on the nearest coast, Kvaløya and Ersfjordbotn): swimming is for the brave.
Plan this trip
📒 The free printable Tromsø guide: itinerary, map, where to sleep→
🧭 When to visit Norway: the country overview→
🗓️ Best time to visit: all our destinations→
Compare with other destinations
Photos: Raul Ling / Pexels · Sayan Samanta / Pexels · Francesco Ungaro / Pexels · Joëlle S. / Pexels · Harvey Barrison from Massapequa, NY, USA / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)