AI-generatedKirkenes at a glance
- Best time
- Apr – Jul
- Warmest month
- Jul · 16°
- Warmest sea
- Aug · 11.3°
- Sunshine a year
- 1,400 h
- Rain a year
- 493 mm
- Climate
- Continental
- Time zone
- UTC+1 / UTC+2
- Elevation
- 10 m
Climate in Kirkenes
Kirkenes has warm to hot summers and cold winters with occasional snow. July is the warmest month with average highs of 16 °C, while February is the coolest at −7 °C. With around 1,400 hours of sunshine a year, Kirkenes is rather dull; June is the sunniest month with 7.6 hours a day.
Holiday weather through the year
Weather in October
Holiday weather in October
Poor
Best time to visit: April – July
Keep in mindSnow
A typical day in October
- Morning, 08:00: about 1°
- Midday, 13:00: about 3°
- Afternoon, 16:00: about 3°
- Evening, 20:00: about 2°
- Night, 23:00: about 1°
07:0716:24
Cold evenings: bring a warm jacket.
Estimated from the average high and low: coolest around sunrise, warmest in mid-afternoon.
Light for photos in October
- Golden hour
- Morning 06:29–08:42 · evening 14:49–17:02
- Blue hour
- Morning 06:05–06:29 · evening 17:02–17:26
Golden hour: the sun between 4° below and 6° above the horizon; blue hour: 6° to 4° below it. Times for the 15th of the month; mountains and clouds shift the light.
What is the weather like in Kirkenes in October?
In October, Kirkenes is cold: daytime highs average 4 °C, and nights cool down to about 0 °C. The sea averages 7.6 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 2 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 11 days, totalling 45 mm. Snow falls on about 3 days. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Kirkenes.
More details for October
- Daylight
- 9 h 17 min07:07 – 16:24
- UV index
- 0 · lowclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 0 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
- Wind
- 18 km/haverage daily peakAll months
- Cloud cover
- 79 %on averageAll months
- Hot days
- 0 days30 °C or more
- Snow days
- 3 days1 cm or more of fresh snowAll months
- Time zone
- UTC+2Europe/Oslo
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 35 %0 %
- Seaweight 25 %0 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %0 %
- Few rainy daysweight 20 %54 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “Sun, sea & sand”.
What to pack in October
- Warm jacket
- Hat, scarf & gloves
- Rain jacket or umbrella
Sea temperature in Kirkenes
Monthly sea surface temperature with the range of cooler and warmer years.
8 in 10 years: 6.9 – 8.3 °C
Swimming season: Never above 20 °C
- cold
- fresh
- refreshing
- pleasant
- warm
- very warm
The sea temperature in Kirkenes ranges from 2.5 °C in March to 11.3 °C in August. Even at its warmest the sea stays below 20 °C, so swimming is bracing at best.
The sea warms up slowly: it is warmest in August, while the air already peaks in July. From October to April the sea is even warmer than the afternoon air. The sea temperature varies from year to year: in August, eight out of ten years were between 9.7 and 13.0 °C.
| Month | Average | Cool year | Warm year | Feels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 3.5° | 2.7° | 4.3° | cold |
| FebruaryFeb | 2.9° | 2.0° | 3.5° | cold |
| MarchMar | 2.5° | 1.5° | 3.3° | cold |
| AprilApr | 2.5° | 1.7° | 3.4° | cold |
| MayMay | 4.5° | 3.5° | 5.4° | cold |
| JuneJun | 7.6° | 6.3° | 8.9° | cold |
| JulyJul | 10.6° | 8.8° | 12.3° | cold |
| AugustAug | 11.3° | 9.7° | 13.0° | cold |
| SeptemberSep | 9.3° | 8.3° | 10.3° | cold |
| OctoberOct | 7.6° | 6.9° | 8.3° | cold |
| NovemberNov | 6.2° | 5.6° | 6.9° | cold |
| DecemberDec | 4.9° | 4.1° | 5.5° | cold |
Sunshine hours in Kirkenes
Average hours of bright sunshine per day, next to the length of the day. Tap a month to select it.
In October, the sun shines for about 1.8 of 9.3 hours of daylight in Kirkenes, 19 % of the day.
Sunshine hours: estimated from radiation data (ERA5, 1996–2025) and calibrated against measured station values; no weather station is close enough here. Daylight is the time from sunrise to sunset on the 15th of the month.
UV index in Kirkenes
How strong the sun is at noon, month by month, and how quickly unprotected skin burns.
- Clear-sky UV in October
- 0 · lowLittle protection needed; sunglasses on bright days.
The sun is strongest in June (UV 4).
Minutes until sunburn in October
- Very fair skin
- over 2 h
- Fair skin
- over 2 h
- Light brown skin
- over 2 h
- Olive skin
- over 2 h
Rough guide for unprotected skin at noon under a clear sky; clouds lengthen it, water, sand and snow shorten it. Sunscreen extends the time only partly.
Monthly values: clear-sky noon estimate from the sun's angle, ozone and altitude. UV today: Open-Meteo forecast.
Rain in Kirkenes: rainy days and rainfall
A rainy day is a day with at least 1 mm of rain or snow; the amount is what falls in the whole month. Tap a month to select it.
In October, Kirkenes has about 11 rainy days with 45 mm of rain in total.
Wind and clouds in Kirkenes
How breezy and how cloudy Kirkenes is through the year. Tap a month to select it on the whole page.
Wind
Typical daily peak of the wind in km/h: what the afternoon breeze usually reaches, not the gusts.
In October, the wind in Kirkenes typically peaks at 18 km/h during the day: Beaufort 3, light breeze.
Breezy months for windsurfing and kiting
The daily breeze rarely reaches Beaufort 4 (20 km/h), so wind sports depend on single windy days.
Clouds
Average share of the sky covered by cloud, day and night.
In October, cloud covers on average 79 % of the sky over Kirkenes: mostly cloudy, with about 1.8 hours of sunshine a day.
Wind: mean daily maximum of the hourly wind 10 m above ground (ERA5, 1996–2025). Gusts are stronger, and the model grid of about 28 km smooths out local effects such as capes and valley winds. Clouds: mean total cloud cover of all layers over day and night (ERA5, 1996–2025). Thin high cloud counts as cover even when the sun still shines through.
Snow in Kirkenes
When Kirkenes is likely to be white: the chance of seeing snow during a week's stay, the days with fresh snow and how much falls. Tap a month to select it.
Snow calendar
- hardly any
- possible
- likely
- very likely
In October, Kirkenes has about 3 days with at least 1 cm of fresh snow, 11 cm in total. The chance of seeing snow during a week's stay is 35 out of 100: possible.
Snow days bring at least 1 cm of fresh snow. Fresh snow comes from ERA5 snowfall (1996–2025) at the height of the place, not on the slopes above it; the snow chance also weighs whether the snow settles. An estimate from climate averages, not a snow report.
Climate through the year
Long-term monthly averages. Tap a month to see its details.
Nights and sleep in Kirkenes
How warm the nights get in each month, from the mean night-time low. Tap a month for details.
- Frost below 0°
- Cold 0–8°
- Cool 8–15°
ColdOctober: nights around 0°. The room should be heated.
The coolest nights are in January (−12°), the warmest in July (10°). Nights fall below 8 °C on average from September to June, so the room should be heated.
Temperatures through the year
Average daytime high, night-time low and sea temperature per month.
| Month | Score | Day | Night | Sea | Sun | Rain days | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 15 | −7° | −12° | 3.5° | 0.0 h | 7 | 25 |
| FebruaryFeb | 16 | −7° | −12° | 2.9° | 1.4 h | 7 | 21 |
| MarchMar | 19 | −3° | −8° | 2.5° | 4.4 h | 8 | 24 |
| AprilApr | 26 | 2° | −4° | 2.5° | 6.9 h | 9 | 32 |
| MayMay | 21 | 7° | 1° | 4.5° | 7.1 h | 13 | 51 |
| JuneJun | 24 | 12° | 6° | 7.6° | 7.6 h | 12 | 57 |
| JulyJul | 23 | 16° | 10° | 10.6° | 7.6 h | 13 | 68 |
| AugustAug | 17 | 15° | 9° | 11.3° | 5.2 h | 12 | 64 |
| SeptemberSep | 13 | 10° | 6° | 9.3° | 3.8 h | 11 | 53 |
| OctoberOct | 11 | 4° | 0° | 7.6° | 1.8 h | 11 | 45 |
| NovemberNov | 16 | −2° | −6° | 6.2° | 0.2 h | 7 | 26 |
| DecemberDec | 13 | −5° | −10° | 4.9° | 0.0 h | 9 | 28 |
Climate averages 1996–2025, not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, WMO 1991–2020 (NOAA NCEI), GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Sources & licences
69.73° N, 30.05° E · 10 m · Europe/Oslo
Best time to visit Kirkenes
The best time to visit Kirkenes is from April to July. The sea stays too cool for a classic beach holiday: even in August it only reaches 11.3 °C. Rain is most frequent in May and in July; the wettest month is July with 68 mm.
Kirkenes through the seasons
How the weather changes over the seasons, with averages for each.
Kirkenes in spring
Mar – May
Poor
- -3–7 °C by day
- Sea 3 °C
- 6 h of sun a day
- 29 rainy days in all
Kirkenes in summer
Jun – Aug
Poor
- 12–16 °C by day
- Sea 10 °C
- 7 h of sun a day
- 36 rainy days in all
Kirkenes in autumn
Sep – Nov
Poor
- -2–10 °C by day
- Sea 8 °C
- 2 h of sun a day
- 29 rainy days in all
Kirkenes in winter
Dec – Feb
Poor
- -7–-5 °C by day
- Sea 4 °C
- 1 h of sun a day
- 23 rainy days in all
Find your perfect month
Tell us what you like and we rate every month in Kirkenes for you.
Your best months: April, June – July
Based on the climate averages; tap a month to see its details.
Compare two months in Kirkenes
Pick two months to see how the weather differs. A tick marks the clearly better value; for temperatures it depends on your plans.
April has the better holiday weather in Kirkenes: score 26 against 11. In April, days are 2 °C cooler than in October. The sea is 5 °C cooler in April. April has 2 fewer rainy days. The sun shines 5 hours longer a day in April.
| Month | October | April |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 11 | 26better |
| Day high | 4° | 2° |
| Night low | 0° | −4° |
| Sea | 7.6° | 2.5° |
| Sunshine | 1.8 h | 6.9 hbetter |
| Rainy days | 11 | 9better |
| Rainfall | 45 mm | 32 mmbetter |
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Which month for what?
Beach & swimming
No month
Sea from 21 °C, warm and mostly dry
Sightseeing & hiking
No month
15–28 °C and not too much rain
Rainy months
May, Jul
12 or more rainy days
Snow
Oct – May
Snow on 2 or more days
Kirkenes month by month
The typical weather for every month at a glance.
15January-7° · Sea 4° · 0 h
In January, Kirkenes is freezing cold: daytime highs average −7 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−12 °C). The sea averages 3.5 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 0 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 7 days, totalling 25 mm. Snow falls on about 6 days. All in all, January is not an ideal month for a holiday in Kirkenes.
Kirkenes in January16February-7° · Sea 3° · 1 h
In February, Kirkenes is freezing cold: daytime highs average −7 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−12 °C). The sea averages 2.9 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 1 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 7 days, totalling 21 mm. Snow falls on about 6 days. All in all, February is not an ideal month for a holiday in Kirkenes.
Kirkenes in February19March-3° · Sea 3° · 4 h
In March, Kirkenes is freezing cold: daytime highs average −3 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−8 °C). The sea averages 2.5 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 4 hours of sunshine a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 8 days, totalling 24 mm. Snow falls on about 7 days. All in all, March is not an ideal month for a holiday in Kirkenes.
Kirkenes in March26April2° · Sea 3° · 7 h
In April, Kirkenes is freezing cold: daytime highs average 2 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−4 °C). The sea averages 2.5 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 9 days, totalling 32 mm. Snow falls on about 6 days. All in all, April is not an ideal month for a holiday in Kirkenes.
Kirkenes in April21May7° · Sea 5° · 7 h
In May, Kirkenes is cold: daytime highs average 7 °C, and nights cool down to about 1 °C. The sea averages 4.5 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 13 rainy days and 51 mm in total. Snow falls on about 3 days. All in all, May is not an ideal month for a holiday in Kirkenes.
Kirkenes in May24June12° · Sea 8° · 8 h
In June, Kirkenes is cool: daytime highs average 12 °C, and nights cool down to about 6 °C. The sea averages 7.6 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun shines for around 8 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 12 rainy days and 57 mm in total. All in all, June is not an ideal month for a holiday in Kirkenes.
Kirkenes in June23July16° · Sea 11° · 8 h
In July, Kirkenes is mild: daytime highs average 16 °C, and nights cool down to about 10 °C. The sea averages 10.6 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun shines for around 8 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 13 rainy days and 68 mm in total. All in all, July is not an ideal month for a holiday in Kirkenes.
Kirkenes in July17August15° · Sea 11° · 5 h
In August, Kirkenes is cool: daytime highs average 15 °C, and nights cool down to about 9 °C. The sea averages 11.3 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 12 rainy days and 64 mm in total. All in all, August is not an ideal month for a holiday in Kirkenes.
Kirkenes in August13September10° · Sea 9° · 4 h
In September, Kirkenes is cool: daytime highs average 10 °C, and nights cool down to about 6 °C. The sea averages 9.3 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 4 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 53 mm in total. All in all, September is not an ideal month for a holiday in Kirkenes.
Kirkenes in September11October4° · Sea 8° · 2 h
In October, Kirkenes is cold: daytime highs average 4 °C, and nights cool down to about 0 °C. The sea averages 7.6 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 2 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 11 days, totalling 45 mm. Snow falls on about 3 days. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Kirkenes.
Kirkenes in October16November-2° · Sea 6° · 0 h
In November, Kirkenes is freezing cold: daytime highs average −2 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−6 °C). The sea averages 6.2 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 0 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 7 days, totalling 26 mm. Snow falls on about 5 days. All in all, November is not an ideal month for a holiday in Kirkenes.
Kirkenes in November13December-5° · Sea 5° · 0 h
In December, Kirkenes is freezing cold: daytime highs average −5 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−10 °C). The sea averages 4.9 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 0 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 9 days, totalling 28 mm. Snow falls on about 7 days. All in all, December is not an ideal month for a holiday in Kirkenes.
Kirkenes in DecemberKirkenes compared
Put Kirkenes side by side with another destination.
No destination found
Kirkenes vs. Murmansk
In October the holiday weather in Kirkenes and Murmansk is about equally good (score 11 vs. 7). During the day Murmansk is 1 °C cooler than Kirkenes. The sea is about equally warm.
| in October | Kirkenes | Murmansk |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday score | 11 | 7 |
| Daytime high | 4° | 3° |
| Sea | 8° | 8° |
| Sunshine | 2 h | 2 h |
| Rainy days | 11 | 13 |
| Best time | Apr – Jul | Jul |
Through the year
Norway in October: the best places
In October, Kirkenes ranks 5 of 18 destinations in this country.
- Oslo9°12°20
- 2Lillehammer7°14
- 3Stavanger11°13°14
- 4Bergen10°13°12
- 5KirkenesThis page4°8°11
- 6Drammen10°12°10
- 7Fredrikstad Municipality10°12°9
- 8Trondheim8°11°6
Planning a trip to Kirkenes
Weather for your travel dates
Pick your arrival and length of stay, and we sum up the weather to expect.
Kirkenes in the school holidays
How the weather suits the usual holiday periods. Dates vary by school and region, so each holiday uses the months it usually falls in.
Kirkenes has its best school-holiday weather during the Easter holidays (score 24) and its weakest during October half-term (score 11).
- 24
Easter holidays
Mar – Apr
PoorBest holidays
- 0 °C by day
- Sea 3 °C
- 6.2 h of sun a day
- 8 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Snow
- 22
May half-term
May – Jun
Poor
- 8 °C by day
- Sea 5 °C
- 7.2 h of sun a day
- 13 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain, Snow
- 19
Summer holidays
Jul – Aug
Poor
- 15 °C by day
- Sea 11 °C
- 6.0 h of sun a day
- 12 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
- 11
October half-term
Oct
Poor
- 4 °C by day
- Sea 8 °C
- 1.8 h of sun a day
- 11 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Snow
- 14
Christmas holidays
Dec – Jan
Poor
- −6 °C by day
- Sea 4 °C
- 0.0 h of sun a day
- 8 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Snow
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Getting there
Flying from
- Nonstop flight
- about 3 h 35 min
- Distance
- 2,570 km
- Time zone
- UTC+2
- Jet lag
- Hardly any (under 3 h)
Estimated from the straight-line distance: 30 minutes for take-off and landing plus 830 km/h cruising speed.
Frequently asked questions about Kirkenes
When is the best time to visit Kirkenes?
The best time to visit Kirkenes is from April to July. That is when the holiday weather score, which combines temperature, sea, sunshine and rain, is highest.
How warm is the sea in Kirkenes?
The sea temperature in Kirkenes ranges from 2.5 °C in March to 11.3 °C in August. Even at its warmest the sea stays below 20 °C, so swimming is bracing at best.
Can you swim in Kirkenes in October?
Only if you don't mind cold water: in October the sea averages just 7.6 °C. Comfortable swimming temperatures are not reached at any time of year.
What is the warmest month in Kirkenes?
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 16 °C and nights around 10 °C. February is the coolest month at −7 °C.
When does it rain most in Kirkenes?
Rain is most frequent in May and in July; the wettest month is July with 68 mm. The driest month is February with 21 mm.
How many hours of sunshine does Kirkenes get?
Kirkenes gets around 1,400 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is June with 7.6 hours a day; in January there are 0.0 hours a day.
What time zone is Kirkenes in?
Kirkenes uses the time zone Europe/Oslo: UTC+1 in January and UTC+2 in July.
How long is the flight from London to Kirkenes?
A nonstop flight from London to Kirkenes takes about 3 h 35 min, for a straight-line distance of about 2,570 km.
Which school holidays are best for Kirkenes?
Kirkenes has its best school-holiday weather during the Easter holidays (score 24) and its weakest during October half-term (score 11). Holiday ratings (0–100): Easter holidays 24, May half-term 22, Summer holidays 19, October half-term 11, Christmas holidays 14.
Near Kirkenes
Other destinations close by.
Places with a climate like Kirkenes
Destinations whose weather through the year is closest to Kirkenes's – good alternatives.