Weather by month for central Svalbard and Jan Mayen, the best months to go and how Svalbard and Jan Mayen's regions differ, scored from 10 years of climate data.
Apr, Jun
The highest month scores: comfortable temperatures, little rain and plenty of sun.
Highs -7°C to 2°C · 6 rain days
Jan, Feb, Mar, May, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
The weakest weather of the year: too hot, too cold or too wet.
Highs -10°C to 5°C · 8–13 rain days
Weather by month
Average highs and lows, rain days, sunshine and our month score out of 10.
| Month | High / low | Rain days | Sunshine | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | -7°C / -10°C | 10 days (31 mm) | 0.0 h/day | 1.1/10 |
| February | -8°C / -12°C | 8 days (33 mm) | 0.4 h/day | 1.5/10 |
| March | -10°C / -14°C | 10 days (38 mm) | 5.0 h/day | 2.3/10 |
| Best month: April | -7°C / -10°C | 6 days (25 mm) | 10.8 h/day | 3.7/10 |
| May | -2°C / -4°C | 8 days (35 mm) | 12.0 h/day | 3.4/10 |
| Best month: June | 2°C / 0°C | 6 days (24 mm) | 13.7 h/day | 3.9/10 |
| July | 5°C / 3°C | 9 days (47 mm) | 11.5 h/day | 3.2/10 |
| August | 5°C / 4°C | 10 days (53 mm) | 8.4 h/day | 3.0/10 |
| September | 3°C / 2°C | 11 days (56 mm) | 4.3 h/day | 1.8/10 |
| October | 1°C / -1°C | 10 days (40 mm) | 1.0 h/day | 1.3/10 |
| November | -2°C / -5°C | 9 days (37 mm) | 0.0 h/day | 1.1/10 |
| December | -4°C / -8°C | 13 days (47 mm) | 0.0 h/day | 0.4/10 |
Figures for central Svalbard and Jan Mayen; the country's best months are weighted across its cities. Best months are highlighted. How we score months
Month by month
-7°C / -10°C · 10 rain days · 0.0 h sun
Daytime highs sit at -6.8°C with lows near -10.2°C, and the sun does not rise at all this month, so you're in full polar night. Rain or snow falls on about 9.6 days. The score of 1.1 puts January at the bottom of the year, but this is prime time for total darkness and northern lights if that's what you're after. New Year's Day is a public holiday.
-8°C / -12°C · 8 rain days · 0.4 h sun
Highs stay around -7.8°C with lows of -11.7°C, and sunshine barely returns, just 0.4 hours a day. Rain days drop to 7.8, among the driest of the year. The month scores 1.5, reflecting the extreme cold and dark rather than poor scenery, since this is still polar-night territory.
-10°C / -14°C · 10 rain days · 5.0 h sun
Temperatures remain harsh, with highs of -9.6°C and lows of -13.5°C, the coldest average of the year. Sunshine climbs to 5 hours a day as daylight returns, though rain or snow falls on 9.5 days. The score of 2.3 shows conditions are still severe, but light is coming back fast.
-7°C / -10°C · 6 rain days · 10.8 h sun
Highs rise to -6.5°C and lows to -10°C, a clear warming trend, with rain days falling to 6.3, the lowest of the year. Sunshine reaches 10.8 hours daily. The score climbs to 3.7, the year's highest, as Easter weekend (Maundy Thursday through Easter Monday, 2–6 April) brings a short holiday stretch.
-2°C / -4°C · 8 rain days · 12.0 h sun
Highs reach -2.1°C and lows -4.2°C, still well below freezing, with rain or snow on 8.1 days and 12 hours of sunshine. The score of 3.4 reflects milder but still cold conditions. Several Norwegian holidays fall this month: May Day, Ascension Day, Constitution Day, Pentecost and Whit Monday.
2°C / 0°C · 6 rain days · 13.7 h sun
Highs finally climb above freezing to 1.7°C, with lows of 0.4°C. Rain days drop to 5.6, and sunshine peaks at 13.7 hours as the midnight sun keeps the sky bright around the clock. The score of 3.9 is close to the year's best, making this a relatively comfortable window despite temperatures near zero.
5°C / 3°C · 9 rain days · 11.5 h sun
The warmest stretch of the year brings highs of 4.6°C and lows of 3.1°C, but rain picks up to 8.9 days with 47mm falling. Sunshine eases slightly to 11.5 hours. The score of 3.2 shows that even peak summer stays cold and damp here.
5°C / 4°C · 10 rain days · 8.4 h sun
Highs reach 5.2°C, the year's warmest, with lows of 3.9°C, but it's also one of the wettest months: 10 rain days and 53mm of rain. Sunshine falls to 8.4 hours as nights start to darken again. The score of 3 reflects a trade-off between mild temperatures and increasing wet weather.
3°C / 2°C · 11 rain days · 4.3 h sun
Highs drop to 3.3°C and lows to 1.8°C as autumn sets in. This is the wettest month, with 11.4 rain days and 56mm of rain, while sunshine falls sharply to 4.3 hours. The score of 1.8 marks the start of a steep decline as both light and warmth fade fast.
1°C / -1°C · 10 rain days · 1.0 h sun
Highs fall to 0.6°C and lows to -1.3°C, with temperatures crossing back below freezing. Rain or snow falls on 10 days, and sunshine drops to just 1 hour a day as darkness closes in. The score of 1.3 shows conditions turning harsh again heading into winter.
-2°C / -5°C · 9 rain days · 0.0 h sun
Highs sit at -2°C and lows at -4.5°C as polar night returns, with 0 hours of sunshine. Rain or snow falls on 9.3 days. The score of 1.1 reflects the return of full winter darkness, though it's also a month when the northern lights become visible again.
-4°C / -8°C · 13 rain days · 0.0 h sun
This is the coldest, darkest stretch of the year: highs of -4.4°C, lows of -7.5°C, zero sunshine, and the most rain days of any month at 12.8. The score of 0.4 is the lowest of the year, driven by deep polar night and frequent precipitation. Christmas Day and the Second day of Christmas are public holidays.
By trip type
City sightseeing
For town visits, June is the best pick. Highs reach 1.7°C, with only 5.6 rain days and 13.7 sun hours. April is much colder, with highs of -6.5°C, but it stays fairly dry, with 25 mm over 6.3 rain days.
Hiking & nature
June suits hiking best. It is the driest month, with 24 mm of rain, and lows stay above freezing at 0.4°C. April offers 10.8 sun hours and little rain, but it stays below freezing all day, with highs of -6.5°C and lows of -10°C.
Events calendar
Public holidays: New Year's Day (1 Jan)
Public holidays: Maundy Thursday (2 Apr), Good Friday (3 Apr), Easter Sunday (5 Apr), Easter Monday (6 Apr)
Public holidays: May Day (1 May), Ascension Day (14 May), Constitution Day (17 May), Pentecost (24 May), Whit Monday (25 May)
Public holidays: Christmas Day (25 Dec), Second day of Christmas (26 Dec)
Keep planning
FAQ
June and April score best. June is the driest and sunniest month, with 5.6 wet days, 24 mm of precipitation and 13.7 sun hours. Highs reach 1.7°C and lows 0.4°C. April is much colder, with a high of -6.5°C and a low of -10°C. It is still fairly dry, with 6.3 wet days and 25 mm, and it gets 10.8 sun hours.
August is the warmest month, but it is wetter and less sunny than June. Highs reach 5.2°C and lows stay at 3.9°C. You can expect 10 wet days and 53 mm of precipitation. Sunshine drops to 8.4 hours, compared with 13.7 in June. That is why August scores 3, while June scores 3.9.
December has the lowest score of the year, 0.4, because it is dark and wet. It has 0 sun hours, 12.8 wet days and 47 mm of precipitation. Highs are -4.4°C and lows -7.5°C. These are dark, wintry conditions, and some travellers come for exactly that. November and January also have 0 sun hours.
March is the coldest month, with a high of -9.6°C and a low of -13.5°C. It has 9.5 wet days and 38 mm of precipitation. Light is returning, but slowly: March gets 5 sun hours, compared with 0.4 in February. In April, temperatures rise to a high of -6.5°C and sunshine increases to 10.8 hours.
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