City break

Oslo weather in January

Temperature, sea and sunshine in January: long-term averages from 30 years of weather data, not a forecast.

15

Holiday weather in January

Poor

Best time to visit: May – August

Air temperature−2°CNight −7°
Sea temperature3.9°Ccold
Sunshine2hrs / dayof 6.7 h daylight
Rainy days11days / month71 mm

What is the weather like in Oslo in January?

In January, Oslo is freezing cold: daytime highs average −2 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−7 °C). The sea averages 3.9 °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 71 mm. Snow falls on about 7 days. All in all, January is not an ideal month for a holiday in Oslo.

January compared

How the weather changes from December to February. Tap a month to open it.

DecemberDecJanuaryJanFebruaryFeb
Score141522
Day0°−2°0°
Night−4°−7°−6°
Sea6°4°3°
Sun2 h2 h4 h
Rain days12119

More details for January

Daylight
6 h 41 min09:05 – 15:46
UV index
0 · lowclear sky, noon (estimate)
Muggy days
0 daysdew point 18 °C or more
Wind
14 km/haverage daily peak
Cloud cover
72 %on average
Hot days
0 days30 °C or more
Snow days
7 days1 cm or more of fresh snow
Time zone
UTC+1Europe/Oslo

How the score comes together

  • Temperatureweight 50 %0 %
  • Sunshineweight 20 %0 %
  • Few rainy daysweight 30 %51 %

Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “City break”.

What to pack in January

  • Warm jacket
  • Hat, scarf & gloves
  • Rain jacket or umbrella

Oslo in January: quick answers

Is Oslo hot in January?

No. In January, Oslo is freezing cold: daytime highs average −2 °C and nights drop to about −7 °C.

Can you swim in Oslo in January?

Only if you don't mind cold water: in January the sea averages just 3.9 °C. Comfortable swimming temperatures are not reached at any time of year.

Does it rain much in Oslo in January?

Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 71 mm in total.

Oslo month by month

Climate averages 1996–2025, not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, GeoNames (CC BY 4.0)