Season guide · Tromsø · Norway
Tromsø in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Kjetil r assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 2.5
Quick answer
Polar night until mid-January, deep snow, peak aurora, husky and whale season, and the busiest, most expensive weeks. Expect highs up to 0°C (32°F) and lows around -6°C (21°F), with about 49 rainy days across December–February. January–February are among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- -6°C (21°F) to 0°C (32°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 49
- Sea
- 4°C (39°F) to 5°C (41°F)
- Crowds
- Very busy
- Hotel prices
- Highest
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | -1°C (30°F) | -6°C (21°F) | 17 | 0 h | 4/5 |
| February | -1°C (30°F) | -6°C (21°F) | 15 | 7.1 h | 5/5 |
| December | 0°C (32°F) | -5°C (23°F) | 17 | 0 h | 5/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of -1°C (30°F) against a yearly 6°C (43°F), and 49 of the year's roughly 170 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 5/5 and hotel prices 5/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- January: Polar Night Half Marathon (usually early January)
- January: Tromsø International Film Festival (usually mid-January)
- January: Northern Lights Festival — classical and contemporary music (usually late January)
- February: Sami Week, with reindeer racing on Storgata (usually early February, around 6 February)
- December: Christmas concerts and markets in the centre (December)
Good choices for winter
Aquarium · Sentrum
Polaria
Time your visit for a seal feeding session, which children love.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
- Architecture
Museum · Sentrum
Polar Museum
In an 1830s customs warehouse on the harbour at Skansen, the Polar Museum tells the story of Arctic trapping, sealing and hunting on Svalbard and of the polar expeditions that set out from Tromsø, including those of Roald Amundsen and Fridtjof Nansen.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Day trips in winter
- Senja (About 2–3 hours each way by car) — Norway's second-largest island has some of the most dramatic coastal scenery in the north: jagged peaks rising from the sea, fishing villages such as Mefjordvær and Husøy, and viewpoints such as Bergsbotn.
- Sommarøy (About 1 hour by car) — A fishing village on a cluster of low islands with white sand beaches and turquoise water, reached by a scenic drive across Kvaløya past Kattfjord and Ersfjord.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers
- Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
- A compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Tromsø?
Yes: January–February are among the best months. Polar night until mid-January, deep snow, peak aurora, husky and whale season, and the busiest, most expensive weeks.
+What is the weather like in Tromsø in winter?
Highs of up to 0°C (32°F) and lows around -6°C (21°F), with about 49 rainy days over the season.