Climate: Although Thanks to
the warming effects of the Gulf Stream, Norway has a very mild
climate compared to other countries at a similar latitude. The
climate in Norway differs from that of the rest of Scandinavia, the
tall mountain ranges dividing mainland Norway provide protection
from precipitation to large areas of inland eastern Norway. Some of
the areas east of the mountains have an annual rainfall of less than
300 mm. Most of the precipitation from the sea falls along the west
coast of Norway, with some areas recording a maximum rainfall of
3000 mm annually. The largest amounts of precipitation are found
some miles from the coast of Western Norway. In these areas most of
the precipitation is received during autumn and winter. Showery
precipitation occurs most frequently in the inner districts of
Eastern Norway and Finnmark. Here summer is the wettest part of the
year, and winter and spring the driest.
The coldest months of the year are January and February. The
interior highlands have an Arctic type of climate in winter with
snow, strong winds and severe frosts, but during summer sometimes
the daytime temperatures can rise above 30°C with long hours of
sunshine. The warmest time in the inland areas is mid-July, July and
August sometimes reach as high as 25°C - 30°C. Norway is the land of
the midnight sun in the North Cape area, with 24-hr daylight from
the middle of May to the end of July, during which the sun does not
set. Conversely, there are long winter nights from the end of
November to the end of January, during which the sun does not rise
above the horizon and the northern lights, or aurora borealis, can
be seen.
The best period in order to visit Norway is from May to September.
Late spring is a particularly pleasant time with mild weather and
long daylight hours.
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