Svalbard
Territory · Europe, Northern Europe
Svalbard is a territory in Northern Europe with a sovereign of Norway. Its capital is Longyearbyen, and it covers an area of 61022 km2 with a population of 2668.
Highlights
The site covers 3 top sights. These include the Polish Polar Station, Hornsund, the highest point Newtontoppen, and the Pyramiden Museum.
When to go
This is the weather at the capital, Longyearbyen. In January, daily highs are -13 °C and lows are -18 °C, with 44 mm of rain on about 13 days. In February, highs are -14 °C and lows are -18 °C, with 41 mm of rain on about 13 days. In March, highs are -13 °C and lows are -18 °C, with 40 mm of rain on about 13 days. In April, highs are -10 °C and lows are -14 °C, with 24 mm of rain on about 10 days. In May, highs are -3 °C and lows are -6 °C, with 16 mm of rain on about 13 days. In June, highs are 2 °C and lows are 0 °C, with 20 mm of rain on about 12 days. In July, highs are 6 °C and lows are 3 °C, with 31 mm of rain on about 16 days. In August, highs are 5 °C and lows are 2 °C, with 37 mm of rain on about 17 days. In September, highs are 0 °C and lows are -2 °C, with 37 mm of rain on about 17 days. In October, highs are -6 °C and lows are -9 °C, with 32 mm of rain on about 16 days. In November, highs are -9 °C and lows are -14 °C, with 43 mm of rain on about 14 days. In December, highs are -12 °C and lows are -17 °C, with 48 mm of rain on about 15 days.
Practical notes
The currency used is Norwegian krone (NOK). The spoken language is Norwegian. The time zone is UTC+01:00.
Top sights in Svalbard
Weather by month
The warmest month is July, with an average high of 6 °C. Rain is spread fairly evenly through the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average high, °C | -13 | -14 | -13 | -10 | -3 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 0 | -6 | -9 | -12 |
| Average low, °C | -18 | -18 | -18 | -14 | -6 | 0 | 3 | 2 | -2 | -9 | -13 | -17 |
| Rainfall, mm | 44 | 41 | 40 | 24 | 16 | 20 | 31 | 37 | 37 | 32 | 43 | 48 |
| Rainy days | 13 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 13 | 12 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 15 |
Temperatures and rainfall: 1981–2010 averages for Longyearbyen (4 km grid), from CHELSA. Rainy days: 2015–2024, NASA POWER.
Also worth a look
- Forlandet National Park