Nature escape

Tromsø weather in December

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

6

Holiday weather in December

Poor

Best time to visit: July

What is the weather like in Tromsø in December?

In December, Tromsø is freezing cold: daytime highs average −3 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−8 °C). The sea averages 6.3 °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 15 days, totalling 97 mm. Snow falls on about 13 days. All in all, December is not an ideal month for a holiday in Tromsø.

December compared

How the weather changes from November to January. Tap a month to open it.

NovemberNovDecemberDecJanuaryJan
Score767
Day−1°−3°−5°
Night−5°−8°−10°
Sea8°6°5°
Sun0 h0 h0 h
Rain days151515

More details for December

Daylight
Polar night
UV index
0 · lowclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
Muggy days
0 daysdew point 18 °C or more
Wind
15 km/haverage daily peak
Cloud cover
76 %on average
Hot days
0 days30 °C or more
Snow days
13 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 %21 %

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

What to pack in December

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

Tromsø in December: quick answers

Is Tromsø hot in December?

No. In December, Tromsø is freezing cold: daytime highs average −3 °C and nights drop to about −8 °C.

Can you swim in Tromsø in December?

Only if you don't mind cold water: in December the sea averages just 6.3 °C. Comfortable swimming temperatures are not reached at any time of year.

Does it rain much in Tromsø in December?

It rains often – on about 15 days, adding up to 97 mm.

Tromsø 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, WMO 1991–2020 (NOAA NCEI), GeoNames (CC BY 4.0)