Norway

Norway Weather in December

Average temperatures, rainfall, sunshine and the best places to visit in Norway in December.

Planning a journey to Norway this December and curious over the weather conditions to await? Your essential details are found on this page, answering your query:

What to Expect in Norway in December

The weather in Norway in December can be quite varied, with temperatures that range from very cold to cold and precipitation levels ranging from moderate to heavy. It's the height of winter.

Temperatures

During the day temperatures vary from very cold in Longyearbyen at -8°C (18°F) to cold in Utsira at 8°C (46°F). At night it cools down to 5°C (41°F) in Utsira and -14°C (7°F) in Longyearbyen. December is a very cold month in some areas, so be prepared and make sure to dress up warm.

To explore the conditions in Norway in more detail, check the map below.

Precipitation

In December, precipitation varies across different areas. From moderate snowfall in Kirkenes with an average of 34 mm (1.3 in) to heavy snowfall in Florø with 362 mm (14 in).

Average sunshine

Sunshine tends to be more scarce in many locations. Oslo gets roughly 39 hours of sunlight. For sunnier alternatives, check our weather planner to find destinations with better conditions.

Explore Norway by month

Best Places to Visit in Norway in December

Click on a destination dot for more details. Toggle the map to compare temperatures or precipitation across Norway.

perfect weather
pleasant
tolerable
unpleasant
poor

Perfect weather is subjective. On this map perfect weather has been defined with temperatures between 20°C (68°F) and 29°C (84°F) and not too much precipitation (less than 90 mm (3.5 in) a month).

Popular Destinations in Norway

What is the weather like in December for some of the most popular destinations in Norway?

Temperature range in Norway (December)

Precipitation variation in Norway (December)

Oslo

In December Oslo generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 1°C (34°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -5°C (23°F) and moderate monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

November
December
January
Max temperature
4°C (39°F)
1°C (34°F)
-1°C (30°F)
Min temperature
-1°C (30°F)
-5°C (23°F)
-7°C (19°F)
Monthly sun hours
63 hours
39 hours
45 hours
Monthly snow/rainfall
91 mm (3.6 in)
72 mm (2.8 in)
71 mm (2.8 in)
Monthly rainy days
17 days
17 days
17 days
Weather conditions

Reine

In December Reine generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 6°C (43°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 2°C (36°F) and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

November
December
January
Max temperature
7°C (45°F)
6°C (43°F)
5°C (41°F)
Min temperature
4°C (39°F)
2°C (36°F)
1°C (34°F)
Monthly rainfall
137 mm (5.4 in)
138 mm (5.4 in)
119 mm (4.7 in)
Monthly rainy days
27 days
29 days
27 days
Weather conditions

Bergen

In December Bergen generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 5°C (41°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 0°C (32°F) and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

November
December
January
Max temperature
8°C (46°F)
5°C (41°F)
5°C (41°F)
Min temperature
3°C (37°F)
0°C (32°F)
0°C (32°F)
Monthly sun hours
29 hours
13 hours
22 hours
Monthly rainfall
254 mm (10 in)
269 mm (11 in)
250 mm (9.8 in)
Monthly rainy days
28 days
28 days
26 days
Weather conditions

Stavanger

In December Stavanger generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 7°C (45°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 2°C (36°F) and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

November
December
January
Max temperature
9°C (48°F)
7°C (45°F)
6°C (43°F)
Min temperature
5°C (41°F)
2°C (36°F)
2°C (36°F)
Monthly sun hours
46 hours
32 hours
48 hours
Monthly rainfall
217 mm (8.5 in)
215 mm (8.5 in)
200 mm (7.9 in)
Monthly rainy days
26 days
24 days
22 days
Weather conditions

Hemsedal

In December Hemsedal generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around -4°C (25°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -11°C (12°F) and moderate monthly snowfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

November
December
January
Max temperature
-1°C (30°F)
-4°C (25°F)
-4°C (25°F)
Min temperature
-7°C (19°F)
-11°C (12°F)
-10°C (14°F)
Monthly snowfall
91 mm (3.6 in)
82 mm (3.2 in)
86 mm (3.4 in)
Monthly rainy days
18 days
18 days
19 days
Weather conditions

Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at all destinations in Norway.

In our records: Norway December extremes

Notable December records observed across cities in Norway in our climate database (1976 – 2026). Historic readings can vary in quality, so treat these as illustrative.

  • In our records, the coldest December daytime high in Norway was -37°C (-35°F) in Røros on December 20, 1981.

Popular cities in December

Day & night temperatures, rainfall and average weather in Norway in December.

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
Oslo 1°C (34°F) -5°C (23°F) 72 mm (2.8 in)
Bergen 5°C (41°F) 0°C (32°F) 269 mm (11 in)
Tromsø -1°C (30°F) -8°C (18°F) 115 mm (4.5 in)
Stavanger 7°C (45°F) 2°C (36°F) 215 mm (8.5 in)
Geiranger -2°C (28°F) -8°C (18°F) 181 mm (7.1 in)
Kristiansand 6°C (43°F) 1°C (34°F) 136 mm (5.4 in)

Norway weather in December: frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in Norway in December?

In December, Norway generally has poor weather conditions. Oslo sees daytime temperatures near 1°C (34°F), with nights cooling to roughly -5°C (23°F).

What is the average temperature in Norway in December?

Oslo averages a daytime maximum of 1°C (34°F) in December, with overnight lows close to -5°C (23°F).

Does Norway get a lot of snow/rain in December?

December is on the drier side in Norway. Oslo averages only about 72 mm (2.8 in), with most days staying dry.

Is December a Good Time to Visit Norway?

In our opinion, December may not be the ideal time to visit Norway due to the typically poor weather in Oslo.

Generally speaking, the best visiting conditions can be found in June, July and August offering mostly pleasant weather in Oslo. In contrast, January, February, March, April, October, November and December tend to have poor weather conditions.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in Norway.

Weather and climate has detailed information for every country in the world. Are you going to Norway? Get detailed historical weather averages for many cities in Norway.

Not sure yet where to go? We now have a tool which recommends destinations that suit your ideal travel conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.

Bucket list

Need travel inspiration? Check out our bucket list articles and be inspired.