AI-generatedLongyearbyen at a glance
- Best time
- Apr – Jun
- Warmest month
- Jul · 8°
- Warmest sea
- Aug · 4.3°
- Sunshine a year
- 1,500 h
- Rain a year
- 444 mm
- Climate
- Continental
- Time zone
- UTC+1 / UTC+2
- Elevation
- 1 m
Climate in Longyearbyen
Longyearbyen has warm to hot summers and cold winters with occasional snow. July is the warmest month with average highs of 8 °C, while March is the coolest at −12 °C. With around 1,500 hours of sunshine a year, Longyearbyen is rather dull; May is the sunniest month with 11.5 hours a day.
Holiday weather through the year
Weather in October
Holiday weather in October
Poor
Best time to visit: April – June
Keep in mindSnow
A typical day in October
- Morning, 08:00: about -7°
- Midday, 13:00: about -4°
- Afternoon, 16:00: about -4°
- Evening, 20:00: about -5°
- Night, 23:00: about -6°
09:1616:10
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
In October the sun doesn't pass through all of these heights here, so there are no fixed golden and blue hours.
What is the weather like in Longyearbyen in October?
In October, Longyearbyen is freezing cold: daytime highs average −4 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−8 °C). The sea averages 1.8 °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 10 days, totalling 43 mm. Snow falls on about 7 days. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Longyearbyen.
More details for October
- Daylight
- 6 h 53 min09:16 – 16:10
- UV index
- 0 · lowclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 0 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
- Wind
- 14 km/haverage daily peakAll months
- Cloud cover
- 81 %on averageAll months
- Hot days
- 0 days30 °C or more
- Snow days
- 7 days1 cm or more of fresh snowAll months
- Time zone
- UTC+2Arctic/Longyearbyen
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 50 %0 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %0 %
- Few rainy daysweight 30 %59 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “City break”.
What to pack in October
- Warm jacket
- Hat, scarf & gloves
- Rain jacket or umbrella
Sea temperature in Longyearbyen
Monthly sea surface temperature with the range of cooler and warmer years.
8 in 10 years: 0.5 – 3.0 °C
Swimming season: Never above 20 °C
- cold
- fresh
- refreshing
- pleasant
- warm
- very warm
The sea temperature in Longyearbyen ranges from −0.5 °C in December to 4.3 °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 September to May 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 2.5 and 5.8 °C.
| Month | Average | Cool year | Warm year | Feels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 0.1° | −1.5° | 1.2° | cold |
| FebruaryFeb | 0.2° | −1.1° | 1.2° | cold |
| MarchMar | 0.3° | −1.4° | 1.2° | cold |
| AprilApr | 0.1° | −1.4° | 1.5° | cold |
| MayMay | 0.1° | −1.1° | 1.3° | cold |
| JuneJun | 1.6° | 0.5° | 2.9° | cold |
| JulyJul | 3.6° | 1.4° | 5.5° | cold |
| AugustAug | 4.3° | 2.5° | 5.8° | cold |
| SeptemberSep | 3.0° | 1.6° | 4.5° | cold |
| OctoberOct | 1.8° | 0.5° | 3.0° | cold |
| NovemberNov | 0.5° | −0.5° | 1.7° | cold |
| DecemberDec | −0.5° | −1.5° | 0.4° | cold |
Sunshine hours in Longyearbyen
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 0.3 of 6.9 hours of daylight in Longyearbyen, 4 % 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 Longyearbyen
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 2).
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 Longyearbyen: 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, Longyearbyen has about 10 rainy days with 43 mm of rain in total.
Wind and clouds in Longyearbyen
How breezy and how cloudy Longyearbyen 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 Longyearbyen typically peaks at 14 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 81 % of the sky over Longyearbyen: mostly overcast, with about 0.3 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 Longyearbyen
When Longyearbyen 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, Longyearbyen has about 7 days with at least 1 cm of fresh snow, 23 cm in total. The chance of seeing snow during a week's stay is 82 out of 100: very likely.
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 Longyearbyen
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°
FrostOctober: nights around −8°. Heating and warm bedding are a must.
The coolest nights are in March (−17°), the warmest in July (5°). Nights fall below 8 °C on average all year round, 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 | 20 | −11° | −16° | 0.1° | 0.0 h | 9 | 43 |
| FebruaryFeb | 23 | −12° | −16° | 0.2° | 0.0 h | 7 | 31 |
| MarchMar | 23 | −12° | −17° | 0.3° | 3.4 h | 8 | 33 |
| AprilApr | 44 | −9° | −13° | 0.1° | 9.2 h | 7 | 26 |
| MayMay | 45 | −2° | −5° | 0.1° | 11.5 h | 6 | 23 |
| JuneJun | 47 | 3° | 1° | 1.6° | 9.8 h | 6 | 21 |
| JulyJul | 32 | 8° | 5° | 3.6° | 7.0 h | 9 | 38 |
| AugustAug | 24 | 6° | 4° | 4.3° | 5.4 h | 11 | 48 |
| SeptemberSep | 15 | 2° | −1° | 3.0° | 2.5 h | 11 | 55 |
| OctoberOct | 18 | −4° | −8° | 1.8° | 0.3 h | 10 | 43 |
| NovemberNov | 17 | −7° | −12° | 0.5° | 0.0 h | 10 | 44 |
| DecemberDec | 19 | −10° | −15° | −0.5° | 0.0 h | 9 | 39 |
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
78.22° N, 15.65° E · 1 m · Arctic/Longyearbyen
Best time to visit Longyearbyen
The best time to visit Longyearbyen is from April to June. The sea stays too cool for a classic beach holiday: even in August it only reaches 4.3 °C. The wettest month is September with 55 mm of precipitation.
Longyearbyen through the seasons
How the weather changes over the seasons, with averages for each.
Longyearbyen in spring
Mar – May
Poor
- -12–-2 °C by day
- Sea 0 °C
- 8 h of sun a day
- 21 rainy days in all
Longyearbyen in summer
Jun – Aug
Poor
- 3–8 °C by day
- Sea 3 °C
- 7 h of sun a day
- 26 rainy days in all
Longyearbyen in autumn
Sep – Nov
Poor
- -7–2 °C by day
- Sea 2 °C
- 1 h of sun a day
- 31 rainy days in all
Longyearbyen in winter
Dec – Feb
Poor
- -11–-10 °C by day
- Sea 0 °C
- 0 h of sun a day
- 26 rainy days in all
Find your perfect month
Tell us what you like and we rate every month in Longyearbyen for you.
Your best months: April – June
Based on the climate averages; tap a month to see its details.
Compare two months in Longyearbyen
Pick two months to see how the weather differs. A tick marks the clearly better value; for temperatures it depends on your plans.
June has the better holiday weather in Longyearbyen: score 47 against 18. In June, days are 7 °C warmer than in October. The sea is about as warm in both months. June has 4 fewer rainy days. The sun shines 10 hours longer a day in June.
| Month | October | June |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 18 | 47better |
| Day high | −4° | 3° |
| Night low | −7° | 1° |
| Sea | 1.8° | 1.6° |
| Sunshine | 0.3 h | 9.8 hbetter |
| Rainy days | 10 | 6better |
| Rainfall | 43 mm | 21 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
Snow
Sep – Jun
Snow on 2 or more days
Longyearbyen month by month
The typical weather for every month at a glance.
20January-11° · Sea 0° · 0 h
In January, Longyearbyen is freezing cold: daytime highs average −11 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−16 °C). The sea averages 0.1 °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 43 mm. Snow falls on about 9 days. All in all, January is not an ideal month for a holiday in Longyearbyen.
Longyearbyen in January23February-11° · Sea 0° · 0 h
In February, Longyearbyen is freezing cold: daytime highs average −12 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−16 °C). The sea averages 0.2 °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 31 mm. Snow falls on about 7 days. All in all, February is not an ideal month for a holiday in Longyearbyen.
Longyearbyen in February23March-12° · Sea 0° · 3 h
In March, Longyearbyen is freezing cold: daytime highs average −12 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−17 °C). The sea averages 0.3 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 3 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 8 days, totalling 33 mm. Snow falls on about 7 days. All in all, March is not an ideal month for a holiday in Longyearbyen.
Longyearbyen in March44April-9° · Sea 0° · 9 h
In April, Longyearbyen is freezing cold: daytime highs average −9 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−13 °C). The sea averages 0.1 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. With around 9 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 7 days, totalling 26 mm. Snow falls on about 7 days. All in all, April is a so-so month for a holiday in Longyearbyen.
Longyearbyen in April45May-2° · Sea 0° · 12 h
In May, Longyearbyen is freezing cold: daytime highs average −2 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−5 °C). The sea averages 0.1 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. With around 12 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 6 days, totalling 23 mm. Snow falls on about 6 days. All in all, May is a so-so month for a holiday in Longyearbyen.
Longyearbyen in May47June3° · Sea 2° · 10 h
In June, Longyearbyen is freezing cold: daytime highs average 3 °C, and nights cool down to about 1 °C. The sea averages 1.6 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. With around 10 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 6 days, totalling 21 mm. Snow falls on about 2 days. All in all, June is a so-so month for a holiday in Longyearbyen.
Longyearbyen in June32July8° · Sea 4° · 7 h
In July, Longyearbyen is cold: daytime highs average 8 °C, and nights cool down to about 5 °C. The sea averages 3.6 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 9 rainy days and 38 mm in total. All in all, July is not an ideal month for a holiday in Longyearbyen.
Longyearbyen in July24August6° · Sea 4° · 5 h
In August, Longyearbyen is cold: daytime highs average 6 °C, and nights cool down to about 4 °C. The sea averages 4.3 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 48 mm in total. All in all, August is not an ideal month for a holiday in Longyearbyen.
Longyearbyen in August15September2° · Sea 3° · 3 h
In September, Longyearbyen is freezing cold: daytime highs average 2 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−1 °C). The sea averages 3.0 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 3 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 11 days, totalling 55 mm. Snow falls on about 3 days. All in all, September is not an ideal month for a holiday in Longyearbyen.
Longyearbyen in September18October-4° · Sea 2° · 0 h
In October, Longyearbyen is freezing cold: daytime highs average −4 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−8 °C). The sea averages 1.8 °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 10 days, totalling 43 mm. Snow falls on about 7 days. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Longyearbyen.
Longyearbyen in October17November-7° · Sea 1° · 0 h
In November, Longyearbyen is freezing cold: daytime highs average −7 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−12 °C). The sea averages 0.5 °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 10 days, totalling 44 mm. Snow falls on about 10 days. All in all, November is not an ideal month for a holiday in Longyearbyen.
Longyearbyen in November19December-10° · Sea 0° · 0 h
In December, Longyearbyen is freezing cold: daytime highs average −10 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−15 °C). The sea averages −0.5 °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 9 days, totalling 39 mm. Snow falls on about 9 days. All in all, December is not an ideal month for a holiday in Longyearbyen.
Longyearbyen in DecemberLongyearbyen compared
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Longyearbyen vs. Honningsvåg
In October Longyearbyen has the better holiday weather (score 18 vs. 4). During the day Honningsvåg is 9 °C warmer than Longyearbyen. The sea in Honningsvåg is 6 °C warmer. Honningsvåg gets 2 more hours of sunshine a day.
| in October | Longyearbyen | Honningsvåg |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday score | 18 | 4 |
| Daytime high | -4° | 5° |
| Sea | 2° | 8° |
| Sunshine | 0 h | 2 h |
| Rainy days | 10 | 16 |
| Best time | Apr – Jun | Apr – Jul |
Through the year
Planning a trip to Longyearbyen
Weather for your travel dates
Pick your arrival and length of stay, and we sum up the weather to expect.
Longyearbyen 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.
Longyearbyen has its best school-holiday weather during May half-term (score 45) and its weakest during October half-term (score 18).
- 38
Easter holidays
Mar – Apr
Poor
- −10 °C by day
- Sea 0 °C
- 7.5 h of sun a day
- 7 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Snow
- 45
May half-term
May – Jun
FairBest holidays
- −1 °C by day
- Sea 0 °C
- 11.2 h of sun a day
- 6 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Snow
- 27
Summer holidays
Jul – Aug
Poor
- 7 °C by day
- Sea 4 °C
- 6.0 h of sun a day
- 10 rainy days a month
- 18
October half-term
Oct
Poor
- −4 °C by day
- Sea 2 °C
- 0.3 h of sun a day
- 10 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Snow
- 20
Christmas holidays
Dec – Jan
Poor
- −10 °C by day
- Sea 0 °C
- 0.0 h of sun a day
- 9 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Snow
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Getting there
Flying from
- Nonstop flight
- about 4 h 10 min
- Distance
- 3,040 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 Longyearbyen
When is the best time to visit Longyearbyen?
The best time to visit Longyearbyen is from April to June. That is when the holiday weather score, which combines temperature, sea, sunshine and rain, is highest.
How warm is the sea in Longyearbyen?
The sea temperature in Longyearbyen ranges from −0.5 °C in December to 4.3 °C in August. Even at its warmest the sea stays below 20 °C, so swimming is bracing at best.
Can you swim in Longyearbyen in October?
Only if you don't mind cold water: in October the sea averages just 1.8 °C. Comfortable swimming temperatures are not reached at any time of year.
What is the warmest month in Longyearbyen?
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 8 °C and nights around 5 °C. March is the coolest month at −12 °C.
When does it rain most in Longyearbyen?
The wettest month is September with 55 mm of precipitation. The driest month is June with 21 mm.
How many hours of sunshine does Longyearbyen get?
Longyearbyen gets around 1,500 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is May with 11.5 hours a day; in January there are 0.0 hours a day.
What time zone is Longyearbyen in?
Longyearbyen uses the time zone Arctic/Longyearbyen: UTC+1 in January and UTC+2 in July.
How long is the flight from London to Longyearbyen?
A nonstop flight from London to Longyearbyen takes about 4 h 10 min, for a straight-line distance of about 3,040 km.
Which school holidays are best for Longyearbyen?
Longyearbyen has its best school-holiday weather during May half-term (score 45) and its weakest during October half-term (score 18). Holiday ratings (0–100): Easter holidays 38, May half-term 45, Summer holidays 27, October half-term 18, Christmas holidays 20.
Near Longyearbyen
Other destinations close by.
Places with a climate like Longyearbyen
Destinations whose weather through the year is closest to Longyearbyen's – good alternatives.