SeasonMapSvolvær (Lofoten) weather in January
Norway
January in Svolvær: freezing, soaked, with clean air — not the time — 19 rainy days.
#11 of 12 months in Svolvær · #1376 of 1383 destinations to visit in January · comfort 14/100 (tier F)
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
Traveller notes on Svolvær in January
Other months in Svolvær
Svolvær's forum is blunt that July can mean 30°C sunshine one visit and 5°C wind-driven rain the next — Lofoten's weather is genuinely that changeable, and regulars say it can vary noticeably even between islands a short ferry ride apart. Still the warmest, busiest month of the year here, so it's worth checking a detailed forecast rather than the seasonal average.
Add your own note from Svolvær's card on the map.
Svolvær climate normals — January
| Daytime high | 2°C / 36°F | 🥶 freezing |
|---|---|---|
| Nighttime low | -2°C / 29°F | |
| Feels like (high) | -4°C / 25°F | |
| Sea temperature | 5°C / 42°F | 🥶 cold sea |
| Rainfall | 292 mm / 11.5 in | ⛈ soaked |
| Rainy days | 19 days | |
| Humidity | 77% | 💦 very humid |
| Dew point | -4°C / 26°F | |
| Sunshine | 0.4 h/day | |
| Daylight | 2.9 h | |
| Wind | 37 km/h / 23 mph | |
| Snowfall | 38.4 cm / 15.1 in | |
| Air quality (US AQI) | 35 | 🍃 good |
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Svolvær in January
How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.
BusyChristmas holidays in Norway, school holidays in 7 of the markets that fill it(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Svolvær's weather
Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).
Toughest weatherSvolvær's weather peaks June–August, best around July.
January coincides with Winter gales.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Svolvær in January
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Season
Skrei season
15 Jan – 20 Apr · usuallyForaging seasonThe Arctic cod come down to spawn and the whole of Lofoten works around it from January to April. The drying racks fill, the harbour is busy at four in the morning, and the smell is part of the deal.
- Nature
Aurora season
10 Sep – 5 Apr · usuallyWell inside the auroral zone from September to early April, and the mountains across the Vestfjord give it something to sit behind. Atlantic cloud is the limiting factor, not latitude.
- Hazard
Winter gales
15 Oct – 15 Mar · usuallyStorm seasonClosuresAtlantic lows shut the mountain passes on the E10 and cancel the small-plane flights into Svolvaer for a day at a time. Allow slack either side of a flight out. Source ↗
- Nature
Polar night
About 2.9 hours of daylight a day in January; the light is the story, not the sights.
from the climate normals
- Season
Snow season
Ski seasonAbout 38 cm of snow falls in the month.
from the climate normals
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Svolvær — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Svolvær?
Svolvær in January — FAQ
- Is January a good time to visit Svolvær?
- January in Svolvær: freezing, soaked, with clean air — not the time — 19 rainy days. It ranks #11 of 12 months for Svolvær on SeasonMap's comfort score (14/100).
- What is the weather like in Svolvær in January?
- In January, Svolvær averages a daily high of 2.1°C and a low of -1.7°C, with about 291.6 mm of rain over roughly 18.7 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Svolvær in January?
- Svolvær has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 35 in January.
- Does it snow in Svolvær in January?
- Svolvær sees roughly 38.4 cm of snowfall in January.
Other months in Svolvær
Compare Svolvær in January
Warmer or cooler than Svolvær in January
Similar destinations in Northern Europe — January
Within 300 km: Tromsø's Tromso International Film Festival around 12–20 Jan.