Why Do People Say Norway Is Hotter Than Sweden/finland?

[mooncow]

I live in Norway. And I am dumbfounded of how people can say that Norway is a hotter place than Sweden and Finland, generally.

I live in the South of Norway (furthest away from Antarctica). And around December 2009 it was so cold that cars stopped in the roads because the engines froze.

The coldest I've seen this winter was -43 degrees Celcius. And that was outside Oslo, far from North of Norway. In Sweden, it only drops to around -20-25. Not sure about Finland,though.

Not here to make a circus babble drama. But I am seriously wondering how people can say this.

I am a native Norwegian so I am used to the cold winters and hot summers. But even I can say I'd rather live over in Sweden when it comes to the weather differences.

Just to give an example for extreme weather changes.

June 2009 it was as hot as +55 Celcius outside my house.

Edited February 18, 2010 by mooncow

[Dartmoor_Matt]

Well, I guess its milder on the west for the same reason that the UK is, the gulf stream.

I've been to Finland in winter (Ruka area) and it was no warmer than -45C all week and then Norway to Beitstolen (excuse the spelling) where it was about -7C all week. I know the latter is further south but not that much further.

[Thundery wintry showers]

Yes, it's all down to the Gulf Stream and Atlantic influence, Norway is on average warmer in winter than Sweden and Finland.

However this is only a gross generalisation and some central and eastern parts of Norway are, on average, comparably cold to many parts of Sweden and Finland. For example the winters in Oslo are similar temperature-wise to those of Stockholm. It's mainly western Norway that is warmer.

[BornFromTheVoid]

How do you get your temperature readings?

That -43C seems implausible and the 55C is down right impossible!

[Harry]

How do you get your temperature readings?

That -43C seems implausible and the 55C is down right impossible!

+55C in Norway? Lol

Granted, a thermometer may read that if it was in direct sunlight during a heatwave, so a reading of that I would say is certainly not impossible. However, I would think that an air temperature like that in Norway, never.

Even in the middle East and India in the height of summer, during an exceptionally bad heatwave, 50C is not unheard of, but even in those locations its an exception rather than any kind of norm.

[Dartmoor_Matt]

Really? In Egypt it was pretty much 55C+ plus for the whole time, nearer 60C in the Valley of the Kings, and from what I heard that was pretty common.

Similarly in Namibia, in the Namib.

Edited February 18, 2010 by Dartmoor_Matt

[Evening thunder]

I'd guess people may say this due to the Atlantic influence keeps it warmer on average than Finland or Sweden, which is definitely true of the western and southern areas near the coast, however away from these I'm not too sure there is that much difference between Inland Norway, Sweden and Finland.

That -43C is possible and I heard there had been similar temps in Norway this winter (I heard -44C) Especially with the mountains and deep valleys I'd imagine very low overnight mins are possible in these valleys, perhaps more so at times than most of Finland which is mainly quite flat.

Looking through the GFS forecast temp charts for North Atlantic on NetWeather Norway tends to be shown about as cold as Finland and Sweden away from coastal areas. In fact sometimes it appears to be colder in Western Sweden and into Norway than the rest of Scandinavia. (the warmest is often Southern Sweden this week)

Chart for Sunday morning showing temps generally around the same in inland Norway as Sweden and Finland.

http://charts.netweather.tv/gfsimages/gfs.20100218/12/63/maxtemp.png

I'd say that areas near the coast it is true that Norway is on average warmer, but more Inland and in the mountains I think this may not be the case.

That +55C must have been in direct sunlight I'd guess, there is no way an air temperature in the shade that high could have been recorded. That would be about 5C above the highest ever temp recorded in Europe I think!

[Summer of 95]

We often in Britain encounter textbooks and articles claiming that Norway is very mild for its latitude, much warmer than Sweden etc etc- but they neglect to mention it's just the west coast that this applies to. Having looked at climate data it's clear that most of the country is typically Scandinavian (subarctic in the north) in terms of climate, the altitude of the western parts (apart from the immediate coast) cancelling out most of the Atlantic influence. And you only have to look at a map to see that Oslo will have a climate more like Sweden than like the west Norway coast- just like if you can't find a climate chart for London, it's better to consult the one for Paris or Brussels than Belfast.

Obviously not 55, but I'd imagine readings in the mid-30s aren't impossible around Oslo in summer, probably in a Sw'ly when the west of Norway is getting deluged.

[Evening thunder]

Yes that's what I was also attempting to say, but probably not as well as you!

According to the list on this page http://en.wikipedia....weather_records the highest temperature recorded in Norway is 35.6 °C (96.1 °F) Also further down in the lowest temperatures ever recorded list interestingly Norway, Finland and Sweden all have similar records (Sweden just over 1C colder at −52.6 °C)

Anyway I'd love to live in any of these countries for the winters there, have been to Finland a couple times before in Winter.

And of course the UK is the 4th warmest in the list of European countries for the record low temp, Even Spain has recorded lower than us :lol:

Edited February 18, 2010 by StormMad26

[Helvellyn]

i was in bergen (right on the west coast) of norway during late december. it may be near to the north sea but temperatures there during the day never really got above -6/-7 and at night temperatures were regularly down to -11/-12. unlike the UK, it doesn't seem they've had any break from the cold weather according to my friend. i wouldn't be surprised to hear that they've had the coldest winter there for many many years (probably longer than the UK).

[mooncow]

How do you get your temperature readings?

That -43C seems implausible and the 55C is down right impossible!

For a whole week during June 2009 our temperature measure thing went between 50-55 Celcius.

It was so hot the grass turned brown, and when the rain finally started to fall a week later, smoke came up from the ground due to the tremendous heat.

It was in the sunlight.

The shade was around 40? And the nights were around 30+

This was only during the last week in June.

Edited February 18, 2010 by mooncow

[Derp Patrol]

I don't think that's possible lol.. 40C in the shade in Norway would take a miracle, in the UK the highest is only 38.5C.. and as someone said I think the highest recorded in Norway is about 35C, whereas that has been reached in the UK many many times, so I don't know how Norway could reach 40C? 30C in the night sounds wrong as well.. even places like Seville which record day time temperatures of around 40-45C regularly in mid summer drop down to about 20C during the night.. maybe your thermometer needs checking

[Thundery wintry showers]

55C in direct sunlight sounds just about feasible, if the thermometer is fully exposed to the sun, but I imagine the real shade temperatures will have been somewhere around 30-32C.

The "smoke" coming up from the ground was almost certainly steam- and I doubt it would be due to the heat. I also agree with the comments about minima of 30C being implausible.

[trickydicky]

Norway would seem to be fairly similar to Canada but on a much smaller scale, with Bergen being your equivalent Vancouver. The predominantly south westerly winds will keep the western coast mainly mild for its latitude but the mountains being so close to the sea will prevent this mildness getting far inland and as a result the eastern areas are more exposed to arctic and continental influences and therefore much colder. On the other hand when the winds do come from the north or north east then Bergen can also be very cold. 55c in summer would appear to be rather optimistic!

[Tim]

For a whole week during June 2009 our temperature measure thing went between 50-55 Celcius.

It was so hot the grass turned brown, and when the rain finally started to fall a week later, smoke came up from the ground due to the tremendous heat.

It was in the sunlight.

The shade was around 40? And the nights were around 30+

This was only during the last week in June.

Lol, what drug were you on at the time?!?!

[mooncow]

Lol, what drug were you on at the time?!?!

We have several thermometers? And they cannot ALL be wrong, lol.

We have one at our garage, which was in the shade and it was showing aroung 38-40+ Celsius.

The one that measured 55+ was in the direct sunlight all the time, but it doesn't change the fact that it was around 40 Celsius in the shade and around 30 inside the house at night.

Edited February 19, 2010 by grab my graupel
No personal remarks please

[BornFromTheVoid]

There is the possibility that your garage maybe heated up and increased the temperature of the thermometer on the wall.

Have you got any official weather stations nearby that you can use to compare data?

The temperature indoors doesn't really count for much. I imagine the houses in Norway need to be fairly well insulated so some stuffy summer nights are quite likely!

Where in Norway do you live?

[Interitus]

Change the scale to Fahrenheit and it's more plausible

[Glaswegianblizzard]

Norway interests me as there is a massive temperature difference between Scotland, where I stay, and there. However the distance is not relatively large.

I noticed that in January when Glasgow had temps of around -5 to -10C approx, Oslo was still around 10 degrees colder, and even places like Bergen and Stavanger, on the coast, were also colder although by not as much.

Just shows the affect of the gulf stream on Scotland, as even places like Denmark and southern Sweden, on a similar latitude, are still a bit cooler during the winter, although see similar temps in the summer.

[mooncow]

The indoor temp during June-July (hottest months) are usually around 20-23. But now they were 30+

I posted this on a Norwegian discussion board as well. They said it had happened all over Hedmark (which is the state that I live in).

And stations to measure temperature are far from my house, so they said it could vary a lot due to distance. It could be hotter where I live, than where the stations are located.

Well, my own people say its possible so I'll rather stick to them than someone who lives in India and United Shops of McDonald that think they know more than me about Norway.

Bye!

Edited February 19, 2010 by mooncow

[firepile]

The shade was around 40?

I think you need to buy a new thermometer...

The highest recorded temperature in Norway is 35,6 °C (Nesbyen, June 20, 1970).

The last week of June last year the maximum temperature was probably more like 30-33 °C.

And the nights were around 30+

Highly unlikely;) The min temp was probably around 20-22 °C.

Edited February 19, 2010 by firepile

[J07]

The indoor temp during June-July (hottest months) are usually around 20-23. But now they were 30+

I posted this on a Norwegian discussion board as well. They said it had happened all over Hedmark (which is the state that I live in).

And stations to measure temperature are far from my house, so they said it could vary a lot due to distance. It could be hotter where I live, than where the stations are located.

Well, my own people say its possible so I'll rather stick to them than someone who lives in India and United Shops of McDonald that think they know more than me about Norway.

Bye!

There is a station with Synop number 01389 at Rena-Haugedalen.

The last 7 days of June 2009 were warm there, with maximum temperatures from 27C to 31C. Nothing at all close to 55C. But a thermometer in 31C heat corrupted by sun and radiation from buildings could get to 55C.

Really? In Egypt it was pretty much 55C+ plus for the whole time, nearer 60C in the Valley of the Kings, and from what I heard that was pretty common.

Similarly in Namibia, in the Namib.

Probably not under "proper exposure". "Nearer 60C" would imply world record temperatures for days on end.

Of course you can argue that "proper exposure" is not all that relevant for people if there's no actual shade available.

[FENDER.]

The indoor temp during June-July (hottest months) are usually around 20-23. But now they were 30+

I posted this on a Norwegian discussion board as well. They said it had happened all over Hedmark (which is the state that I live in).

And stations to measure temperature are far from my house, so they said it could vary a lot due to distance. It could be hotter where I live, than where the stations are located.

Well, my own people say its possible so I'll rather stick to them than someone who lives in India and United Shops of McDonald that think they know more than me about Norway.

Bye!

Well you dont seem to know much about your own country do you. Apart from all the temperature nonsense, you came out with this howler

"I live in the South of Norway (furthest away from Antarctica). And around December 2009 it was so cold that cars stopped in the roads because the engines froze"

You certainly are furthest away from Antartica :doh: Norway is south of The Artic

Edited February 20, 2010 by At least it will be mild

[gpspete]

I used to be a regular winter visitor to Oslo i used to go xcountry skiing in the Oslo Marka (forest) staying in Oslo i have even skied Viglen Park in the city in general Oslo is in a cold area it may be at low level even on the coast at the top of a long inlet, Oslo Fjord but it is sheltered by mountains from the west coast so the atlantic influence is moderated, i have seen the fjord frozen over and people fishing through the ice.

Oslo even has its own small alpine skiing area must be one of the few if only capitol city in wordl to have one and the famous ski jump and xcountry ski race area at Homenkollen.

The first time i visited Oslo about 12 years ago the news media was claiming record low tempratures for Oslo the warmest it got in a week was -17c. night time i cannot remember but it was -35c i did see -55c mentioned.

So all you cold & snow lovers that frequent this forum visit Oslo late january or febuary you will probably get to see real winter not englands pretend one.

I have only been dissappointed a couple of times 1 year it rained at city level but not to bad up the hills outback of city and another time it was a bit mild and foggy, but I have seen it snow heavy for a whole week cabin had about 6" snow on roof when arrived several feet by end of week, snow ploughs out on roads nonstop.

Look at the webcams in Oslo http://www.webcamsinnorway.com/webcams.php

to get an idea of the present weather http://voksenlia.net/ being a particuly good one complete with a personal weather station.

Edited February 20, 2010 by gpspete

[Interitus]

i was in bergen (right on the west coast) of norway during late december. it may be near to the north sea but temperatures there during the day never really got above -6/-7 and at night temperatures were regularly down to -11/-12. unlike the UK, it doesn't seem they've had any break from the cold weather according to my friend. i wouldn't be surprised to hear that they've had the coldest winter there for many many years (probably longer than the UK).

Interestingly, the weather pattern that brought some of our severest weather in January meant well above average temperatures for northern Scandinavia.

For example Kiruna in northern Sweden has an average max of around -10c but managed 5 consecutive days of zero or above with a peak of 3c, thirteen degrees above average.