#1 in December
7.8°C
NOAA Season Curve (May–Oct):
M
8.1°
J
10.7°
J
13.3°
A
15.0°
S
14.0°
O
11.7°
N
9.5°
NOAA SATELLITE DATA (1991–2020 30-YEAR CLIMATOLOGY)
NONorway Sea Temperature in December
Historical 30-year sea surface temperatures across 32 coastlines in Norway for December. Derived from NOAA 0.25° blended satellite and in-situ marine observations.
Climatology Notice: Temperatures represent the 30-year long-term historical average (1991–2020 normal), not a live single-day sensor forecast.
6.8°C
Bracing / Crispaverage across 32 surveyed coastlines in Norway, December
- Ranges 5.7°C at Ingierstrand to 7.8°C at Refviksanden.
- No coastline in Norway reaches 21°C in any month — this is wetsuit or cold-water swimming.
- 8.5°C cooler than Norway’s August peak of 15.3°C (see August).
Select Month
View 12-Month Annual Overview →North Atlantic Drift (Gulf Stream) Thermal Anomaly
Lofoten and northern Norway sit above 68°N latitude (equal to northern Alaska and Greenland), yet their summer waters reach 11.5–13.0°C rather than freezing. This is powered entirely by the Norwegian Atlantic Current branch of the North Atlantic Drift transporting warm equatorial water northeastward across the Atlantic.
Oceanographic Phenomenon:High-Latitude Maritime Heat Transport
Thermal Lag Characteristic:Sub-polar thermal lag: water temperatures peak late in August (12.4°C at Uttakleiv Beach) and drop sharply to 5–6°C during Arctic winter polar nights.
Peak Bathing Average:August (12.4°C)
Statutory Tourism Sources:
visitnorway.comfjordnorway.comvisitoslo.comen.visitnorway.comregionstavanger-ryfylke.comNorway Beaches in December
Individual coordinate lookups from NOAA 0.25° marine grid.
Showing 32 coastlines
Explore Sea Temperatures by Country
Spain(23.6°C)Italy(25.9°C)Turkey(27.3°C)France(22.4°C)Greece(25.4°C)Cyprus(27.7°C)Croatia(25.2°C)Albania(25.5°C)Montenegro(25.7°C)Malta(26.7°C)Bulgaria(25.1°C)Romania(24.7°C)Slovenia(25.4°C)Portugal(20.7°C)Poland(19°C)Sweden(18.3°C)Netherlands(18.5°C)Bosnia & Herzegovina(25.2°C)Monaco(24.6°C)Latvia(18.5°C)Estonia(18°C)Lithuania(18.8°C)Germany(18.6°C)Denmark(18°C)Norway(15.3°C)Belgium(18.7°C)Faroe Islands(10.9°C)United Kingdom(16.1°C)Ireland(15.9°C)Iceland(10.9°C)Finland(16.6°C)
