The gulf stream keeps Norway's coast temperate for a country so far north. The west coast is the mildest, averaging 8 degrees C. This temperature does not change by more than 15 degrees throughout the year. Although snow is rare, the west coast experiences more rain than any other part of the country.
Coastal mountains block ocean winds, giving the southern inland of Norway warm summers and cold winters. Norway's capital, Oslo, lies inland in the south, and its temperatures may climb as high as 17 degrees C, but drop to -5 degrees in the winter.
Norway's territory extends far into the Arctic Circle, so Norway's northern climate is typical for the arctic. Even below the Arctic Circle, northern Norway experiences frigid temperatures and snow. Finnmark, Norway's northernmost province, has recorded temperatures of -50 degrees C. Northern Norway experiences midnight sun in the late spring and total darkness in early winter.
