---
title: "The Arctic Climate Guide for Sailors | Boreal Yachting"
url: https://boreal-yachting.com/journal/arctic-climate
description: "The Norwegian Atlantic Current keeps this coast ice-free all year. What that means for temperatures, clothing and weather that turns within hours."
lang: en
---

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Arctic knowledge: https://boreal-yachting.com/journal/arctic-knowledge

# The Arctic climate: what to expect

By Boreal Yachting crew (https://boreal-yachting.com/about/crew), Skippers and guides, Tromsø

Publication date not available

The coast of Northern Norway is warmed by the Norwegian Atlantic Current, so the sea stays ice-free all year despite lying above the Arctic Circle. Summer air is usually 8 to 15°C and winter around freezing at the coast, with weather that changes within hours.

Image: Snow-covered Arctic mountain range and glacier beneath pale clouds (https://boreal-yachting.com/generated-images/article-arctic-climate-1920.webp)

The Arctic climate: what to expect.

Northern Norway is warmer than its latitude suggests. Thanks to the Gulf Stream, summer temperatures can reach 20–30°C, while coastal winters hover between 0 and –10°C. Tromsø's maritime subarctic climate shifts sharply through the year, from the darkness of the polar night to the low, intense light of late winter.

The Gulf Stream shapes Northern Norway's climate. This warm ocean current carries heat from the Caribbean to the Norwegian coast, keeping temperatures 10–15°C warmer than other places at the same latitude. While interior Alaska and Siberia freeze at –40°C, Tromsø's harbours remain ice-free all year.

Summer (June–August): temperatures typically range from 10 to 20°C, occasionally reaching 25°C or higher. Rainfall is moderate, and July is usually the driest month. Nights can feel cooler on the water than ashore.

Autumn (September–November): temperatures drop from around 10°C to close to freezing. The first snow falls on the mountains in October, marking the start of the northern lights season.

Winter (December–February): coastal temperatures hover between –5°C and +2°C. This is the polar night, and the northern lights are at their most active. Snowfall can be heavy.

Spring (March–May): temperatures rise from –5°C to 10°C. Snow conditions are good for skiing, and daylight hours increase fast. By late May, the midnight sun returns and the summer season begins.

Related experience: Winter Cruise (https://boreal-yachting.com/experiences/winter-cruise).

Where this sails: Sailing Tromsø (https://boreal-yachting.com/destinations/tromso).

About the author

## Boreal Yachting crew

Skippers and guides, Tromsø

Written by the Boreal Yachting editorial team using operational knowledge from the skippers and guides who sail Northern Norway and Svalbard.

Meet the crew: https://boreal-yachting.com/about/crew

## Read next

### Aurora borealis: how the northern lights form

The aurora borealis is caused by charged particles from the sun striking gases in the upper atmosphere. Green comes from oxygen at around 100 to 300 kilometres. Tromsø sits under the auroral oval at 69.6°N, and the viewing season runs from late September to late March.
https://boreal-yachting.com/journal/aurora-borealis

### Need to know when sailing in Northern Norway

Sailing Northern Norway needs attention to three things: tidal streams that reach seven knots in narrows such as Rystraumen, fall winds that arrive without warning off steep terrain, and distances between harbours. Forecasts from yr.no and marine VHF are reliable and should be checked daily.
https://boreal-yachting.com/journal/need-to-know-sailing-northern-norway

All writing in the Journal: https://boreal-yachting.com/journal

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