Tromsø (Tromso) weather in December

Norway

Tromsø, Norway
Photo: Efrem Efre · Pexels

December in Tromsø: freezing, rainy, with clean air — one of the weakest months to visit.

#11 of 12 months in Tromsø · #1340 of 1383 destinations to visit in December · comfort 28/100 (tier F)

Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

Traveller notes on Tromsø in December

Other months in Tromsø

Tromsø's forum calls October the wettest month of the year locally — genuinely no pattern to the rain, capable of days on end wet or days on end cloudy, changing quickly with sudden clear breaks. Regulars flag it as touch-and-go for early winter conditions too: some years bring icy roads and snow on the ground by late October, others stay closer to freezing rain. Layered, genuinely waterproof and windproof gear is standard advice regardless.
Tripadvisor community · October · yesterday · Read more on Tripadvisor

Add your own note from Tromsø's card on the map.

Tromsø climate normals — December

Daytime high0°C / 32°F🥶 freezing
Nighttime low-5°C / 24°F
Feels like (high)-4°C / 25°F
Rainfall125 mm / 4.9 in🌧 rainy
Rainy days16 days
Humidity85%💦 very humid
Dew point-5°C / 22°F
Sunshine0 h/day
Daylight0 h
Wind13 km/h / 8 mph
Snowfall72.7 cm / 28.6 in
Air quality (US AQI)32🍃 good

Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.

Crowds in Tromsø in December

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)

JFMAMJJASOND

Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet

Best months for Tromsø'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 weatherTromsø's weather peaks June–August, best around July.

JFMAMJJASOND

Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather

What's on in Tromsø in December

Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.

  • Nature

    Aurora season

    15 Sep – 5 Apr · usually

    Directly under the auroral oval, so a quiet night still shows something from September to early April. The problem is coastal cloud, which is why the chase buses drive inland for hours.

  • Nature

    Orca and humpback in the fjords

    1 Nov – 20 Jan · usuallyWhale season

    The herring come into the fjords north-east of the city and the whales follow them, in the four hours of blue twilight that count as day. Boats run from Skjervoy rather than Tromso itself.

  • Nature

    Polar night

    About 0.0 hours of daylight a day in December; the light is the story, not the sights.

    from the climate normals

  • Season

    Snow season

    Ski season

    About 73 cm of snow falls in the month.

    from the climate normals

What's on around the world in December

Nearby, and something's on

Within 300 km of Tromsø — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.

Where is Tromsø?

Loading map…

Tromsø in December — FAQ

Is December a good time to visit Tromsø?
December in Tromsø: freezing, rainy, with clean air — one of the weakest months to visit. It ranks #11 of 12 months for Tromsø on SeasonMap's comfort score (28/100).
What is the weather like in Tromsø in December?
In December, Tromsø averages a daily high of 0°C and a low of -4.6°C, with about 124.9 mm of rain over roughly 16.4 rainy days.
What is the air quality in Tromsø in December?
Tromsø has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 32 in December.
Does it snow in Tromsø in December?
Tromsø sees roughly 72.7 cm of snowfall in December.

Other months in Tromsø

Compare Tromsø in December

Warmer or cooler than Tromsø in December

Similar destinations in Northern EuropeDecember

Within 300 km: Svolvær's Aurora season around 10 Sep – 5 Apr.