--- title: "The Arctic Climate Guide | Boreal Yachting Journal" description: "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" lang: en json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://boreal-yachting.com/#organization", "name": "Boreal Yachting", "url": "https://boreal-yachting.com", "logo": "https://boreal-yachting.com/logo.png", "image": "https://boreal-yachting.com/logo.png", "description": "Premium Arctic sailing in Northern Norway and Svalbard. 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Summer air is usually 8 to 15°C and winter around freezing at the coast, with weather that changes within hours.", "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://boreal-yachting.com/journal/arctic-climate" }, "url": "https://boreal-yachting.com/journal/arctic-climate", "image": "https://boreal-yachting.com/assets/article-arctic-climate-C4CIiH7z.jpg", "articleSection": "Arctic knowledge", "wordCount": 214, "author": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Boreal Yachting crew", "url": "https://boreal-yachting.com/about/crew" }, "publisher": { "@id": "https://boreal-yachting.com/#organization" } } ] --- [Skip to content](#main-content) [Boreal Yachting ](/) [Experiences](/experiences) [Destinations](/destinations) [Our Fleet](/fleet) [About Us](/about) [Journal](/journal) [For Partners](/partners) [Plan your journey](/plan-your-journey) 1. [Home](/) 2. / [Journal](/journal) 3. / Arctic Climate [Arctic knowledge](/journal/arctic-knowledge) # The Arctic climate: what to expect By [Boreal Yachting crew](/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. ![The Arctic climate: what to expect](/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](/experiences/winter-cruise). Where this sails: [Sailing Tromsø](/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](/about/crew) ## Read next [ ### Svalbard sailing: glaciers and polar bears A Svalbard sailing expedition runs from Longyearbyen between June and September, when the fjords are largely ice-free and the sun does not set until late August. Voyages of one to two weeks reach tidewater glaciers, walrus haul-outs and bird cliffs, under Sysselmesteren regulations and AECO guidelines. ](/journal/svalbard-expedition)[ ### Northern lights sailing: an aurora photo safari Northern lights sailing means using the boat to move away from town lights and cloud. Tromsø lies at 69.6°N, under the auroral oval, and the season runs from late September to late March. A boat can shift anchorage overnight to find the clearest sky. ](/journal/northern-lights-sailing) [All writing in the Journal](/journal) ## Start planning your Arctic journey. Tell us what you have in mind. We will come back to you within two working days with a considered answer — not a template. [Plan your journey](/plan-your-journey)[Speak to us directly](/contact) Boreal Yachting Premium Arctic sailing in Northern Norway and Svalbard. Sailing these waters since 2003. 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