In order to understand the climate of Scandinavia, some knowledge of its geography is required. The twin countries of Norway and Sweden, both long and narrow in shape, are situated adjacent to each other on the Scandinavian Peninsula. Norway lies to the west, bordering the Atlantic Ocean, and Sweden to the east, bordering the Gulf of Bothnia. To the south, separated by the Baltic Sea, is Denmark, whose territory is spread between the Jutland peninsula and numerous islands dotting the Baltic.
On the whole, considering its extreme northerly latitude, Scandinavia's climate is on the mild side, particularly in the major centers of population: Denmark, and southern Sweden and Norway. This is due to the Atlantic Ocean's Gulf Stream current, which transports warm water from the Gulf of Mexico to northern Europe, moderating the weather. Scandinavia's proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and Baltic Sea also mean that the region experiences high humidity and precipitation, as well as significant cloudiness.
This climate type, found in most of Denmark and extreme southern Norway, covers the majority of Western Europe, including Germany, France, Great Britain and Ireland. Summers and winters are both mild; it rarely gets uncomfortably hot or cold. Fog occurs on a regular basis. Winter brings the heaviest precipitation, usually in the form of rain
Northern Denmark, southern Norway and southern and eastern Sweden possess the cool-summer version of the humid continental climate. This climate type is also found in places like Vermont and Green Bay, Wisconsin. Like the marine west coast climate, summers are mild and cool, but winters are colder, with snowfall much more common.
The remainder of Norway and Sweden, save high elevations and extremely high latitudes, experience a subarctic climate, shared by locations such as Labrador and western Alaska. Winters are long and harsh with frequent snowstorms, and summers are short and cool. Precipitation is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year.
High altitudes in Norway's mountains, as well as extreme northern Norway and Sweden experience a tundra climate, the second-coldest climate classification on the planet. An essentially summer-less environment with brutal winters, a ground covering of permafrost, and inhospitable soil for crops.
