Climate - Bergen (Norway)

The climate of Bergen is oceanic, with cold, rainy winters and cool summers.
The city is located in the south-west of Norway, in Vestland County, in the mildest and rainiest part of the country, directly exposed to the Atlantic currents.
The city is bathed by the sea because it is located in an area of fjords and inlets, but the coast of the Atlantic Ocean is 20 km (12 mi) further west.
The average temperature of the coldest month (February) is of 1.5 °C (35 °F), that of the warmest month (July) is of 15 °C (59 °F). Here are the average temperatures.

Precipitation amounts to 2,250 millimeters (88.6 inches) per year: it is therefore abundant. Actually, Bergen is the rainiest city in Europe. Rainfall ranges from 105 mm (4.1 in) in the driest month (May) to 285 mm (11.2 in) in the wettest (September). Here is the average precipitation.

The winter is cold, cloudy and rainy. The mildest days, in which the temperature can reach 8/10 °C (46/50 °F), are humid and rainy as well, and sometimes windy.
There are also colder periods, when it can snow, and the temperature can drop below freezing.
On the coldest nights of the year, the temperature typically drops to -8/-10 °C (14/18 °F), but can sometimes drop lower. The coldest record of -19.5 °C (-3 °F) was recorded in January 1987, which was a very cold month in Scandinavia. However, the temperature also dropped to -16 °C (3 °F) in January 1979, to -16.5 °C (2.5 °F) in January 1982, to -14.5 °C (6 °F) in January 1985, in January 1986 and in February 2001, and to -12.5 °C (9.5 °F) on March 1st, 2018.

The summer is mild, with fairly frequent rains. The sun is not seen very often, however, the days are very long.
When it's not raining, there are pleasant days, with highs around 20 °C (68 °F). Sometimes, there can be warm days; on average, the temperature exceeds 25 °C (77 °F) for seven days a year.
In recent years, there have also been short, hot periods, in which the temperature has reached 28/30 °C (82/86 °F). At Flesland Airport, the temperature reached 31 °C (88 °F) in July 2018 and in July 2019, while at the weather station within the city, it even reached 32 °C (89.5 °F) and 33.5 °C (92 °F) respectively.

The latitude of Bergen is 60°24'N. On the shortest day of the year, December 21st, the sun rises at 9:44 am and sets at 3:29 pm. On the longest day, June 21, the sun rises at 4:10 am and sets at 11:11 pm. The white nights, in which it is not completely dark even at midnight, occur from May 10 to August 2.



On average, there are around 1,185 sunshine hours per year. So, the sun doesn't shine often. In fact, Bergen is one of the least sunny cities in the world. It must be said that the sun is partially shielded by the hill that lies immediately east of the city, Ulriken, which is 643 meters (2,110 feet) high. Here are the average sunshine hours per day.

The sea temperature ranges between 6 °C (43 °F) and 15 °C (59 °F). So, it is cold all year round. Here are the average sea temperatures.

Best Time

The best time to visit Bergen is the summer, from June to August, since it is the mildest season. However, you must take into account some rainy days and a bit of cold at night.