Your January weather guide
CoolWeather in Norwegian Fjords in January
January suits a Norwegian Fjords trip only if you are comfortable with cold, wet weather and limited time outdoors. Average daytime highs are around 2°C, nights fall to about -1°C, and roughly 20 days have measurable rain. Go for a winter break with flexible plans, not for mild weather or long days outside. Waterproof clothing matters as much as warm layers, and you will need to make the available daylight count.
Long-term climate averages for Bergen, not a forecast · 1991-2020
Norwegian Fjords, month by month
Your snapshot
At a glance
The useful details for Bergen.
- Average daytime high
- 2.4°C
- 9 in 10 days stay below 6°C
- Average night-time low
- -1.2°C
- coldest 10% of nights: -7°C or lower
- Compared with London
- -5.0°C
- London averages 7.4°C in January
- Sea temperature
- 6.1°C
- year to year: 5°C to 7°C
- Sunshine per day (est.)
- 1.3h
- 21% of 6.2 h of daylight
- Rainy days (1 mm+)
- 20
- 247 mm over the month
- Humidity
- 84%
- Days over 25°C
- 0%
- none over 30°C
- Record high 1991-2020
- 9.2°C
- 2005-01-10
- Record low 1991-2020
- -18.6°C
- 2010-01-08
- Flight from London
- ≈ 2 h 6 min
- 1083 km, short-haul (estimate for a direct flight)
Records are observed extremes within 1991-2020, not typical holiday conditions. Warm-day percentages are shares of days, not day counts.
How January compares
January is the 12th warmest month of the year in Norwegian Fjords. Against London's average high of 7.4°C in January, Norwegian Fjords is 5.0°C cooler by day and 3.4°C cooler at night.
Daytime and night-time in January
The typical January day in Norwegian Fjords peaks at 2.4°C, but that is an average: the warmest 10% of days reach 6.4°C or more. Days over 25°C are rare. Nights average -1.2°C; one night in ten drops to -7.1°C or lower, so pack a layer for evenings - it is genuinely cool after dark. Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest January day here reached 9.2°C (2005-01-10) and the coldest night -18.6°C (2010-01-08).
Rain in January
Wet (more than 8 rainy days): about 20 days with 1 mm or more, 247 mm in total. Year to year it varies a lot - the wettest January was 2015 with 460 mm, the driest 1996 with 33 mm. Humidity averages 84%.
Sea temperature in January
The sea averages 6.1°C - too cold for most (under 18°c). Depending on the year it ranges from 5.1°C to 6.8°C. For the warmest sea here, come in August (15.3°C).
Sunshine and daylight
Around 1.3 hours of sunshine a day (estimated from cloud cover), 6.2 hours of daylight: the sun rises about 09:31 and sets about 16:05 local time in mid-January. Average cloud cover is 78%.
Is January a good time to visit Norwegian Fjords?
January is not the strongest month here: cool days and frequent rain. The best months for Norwegian Fjords on our scoring are May, July, June.
Cold days, freezing nights and no casual swimming
January is the region's coldest month, so treat the average daytime high as a guide rather than a promise of comfortable conditions. The coldest nights can fall to around -7°C or below, making warm layers, gloves and a hat sensible packing choices. A waterproof outer layer and footwear with good grip are useful when temperatures hover around freezing. Plan outdoor time around opportunities to warm up, rather than expecting to stay comfortable outside all day. The sea averages about 6°C, which is cold rather than merely bracing; this is not a month to choose for relaxed swimming.
Wet weather and a short daylight window
Rain is a major part of the January trade-off, not an occasional interruption you can safely ignore. With about 20 rainy days, keep outdoor plans movable and avoid relying on a dry forecast for the whole trip. There are about 6.2 hours of daylight, but only 1.3 hours of sunshine a day on average, so daylight should not be confused with bright skies. Give your outdoor priorities the daylight window and leave room for time indoors when conditions are poor. Waterproof trousers can be useful alongside a proper raincoat, especially if you intend to spend much of that window outside.
A little perspective
Norwegian Fjords through the year
January is highlighted. See how it compares with the rest of the year.
| Month | Day | Night | Sea | Sun/day | Rain mm | Rainy days | Days 25°C+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuarySelected | 2.4°C | -1.2°C | 6.1°C | 1.3 | 247 | 20 | 0% |
| February | 2.7°C | -1.7°C | 5.1°C | 2.1 | 209 | 17 | 0% |
| March | 4.7°C | -0.4°C | 4.7°C | 3.0 | 192 | 18 | 0% |
| April | 8.7°C | 2.2°C | 5.7°C | 4.7 | 133 | 16 | 0% |
| Maybest | 12.3°C | 5.5°C | 8.7°C | 6.7 | 117 | 14 | 0% |
| Junebest | 15.1°C | 8.9°C | 11.7°C | 6.1 | 118 | 14 | 1% |
| Julybest | 17.1°C | 11.3°C | 14.1°C | 5.3 | 149 | 16 | 3% |
| August | 17.1°C | 11.4°C | 15.3°C | 4.3 | 186 | 17 | 2% |
| September | 14.2°C | 9.0°C | 13.6°C | 3.3 | 245 | 18 | 0% |
| October | 9.7°C | 5.1°C | 11.3°C | 2.5 | 258 | 19 | 0% |
| November | 5.4°C | 1.7°C | 9.3°C | 1.6 | 256 | 19 | 0% |
| December | 3.0°C | -0.7°C | 7.5°C | 1.2 | 269 | 20 | 0% |
Day = average daytime high, night = average night-time low, 1991-2020.Sun is hours per day; rainy days count 1 mm or more.
Day, night and sea
Monthly average temperatures, 1991-2020
- Day
- Night
- Sea
Best months here
On warmth, low rainfall and sunshine, start with these.
Keep exploring
Similar in January
Closest matches on daytime temperature, sea temperature and sunshine, in other countries.
A little more detail
Norwegian Fjords in January FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Is Norwegian Fjords hot in January?
Norwegian Fjords is cool in January: the average daytime high is 2.4°C and nights average -1.2°C. Days over 25°C are rare in January.
Can you swim in the sea in Norwegian Fjords in January?
The sea around Norwegian Fjords averages 6.1°C in January, which is cold for swimming without a wetsuit. Between 1991 and 2020 it ranged from 5°C to 7°C depending on the year.
How much does it rain in Norwegian Fjords in January?
Norwegian Fjords sees about 20 rainy days (1 mm or more) and 247 mm of rain in a typical January. The wettest January between 1991 and 2020 was 2015 (460 mm) and the driest was 1996 (33 mm).
How sunny is Norwegian Fjords in January?
Norwegian Fjords gets around 1.3 hours of sunshine a day in January out of 6.2 hours of daylight (estimated from average cloud cover).
How does Norwegian Fjords compare with the UK in January?
Norwegian Fjords is on average 5.0°C cooler than London by day in January (2.4°C against 7.4°C).
What is the hottest January on record in Norwegian Fjords?
Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest January day in Norwegian Fjords reached 9.2°C on 2005-01-10, and the coldest night dropped to -18.6°C on 2010-01-08.
How does January compare with London?
Expect colder daytime conditions than in London. The Norwegian Fjords average around 2°C, compared with about 7°C in London in January. Nights average below freezing, so pack for colder evenings rather than simply taking your usual light winter layers.
Would another month be a better choice?
May, July and June are better choices overall for weather. January makes sense if you accept cold, frequent rain and short daylight as part of the trip. If comfortable outdoor time is your priority, favour those months instead.
About these averages
ERA5-Land climate reanalysis via Open-Meteo (11 km grid) and NOAA Coral Reef Watch 5 km sea temperatures, 1991-2020
Averages computed from daily values at Bergen. Sea temperature from the nearest 5 km sea cell, 2 km from that point. Sunshine hours are estimated from average cloud cover.Records are the highest and lowest daily values in that 30-year period, not all-time records. These are climate averages, not a forecast for your trip. How we measure holiday weather
- Hot · 25°C+
- Warm · 20°C to below 25°C
- Mild · 15°C to below 20°C
- Cool · below 15°C