This is yet another question we often hear, and the answer might be quite surprising.
Many skiers used to European weather conditions expect April or May to be too warm, with little chance of powder. This is a very common misconception. You must realise that the Lyngen area and the Lyngen islands are located at around 70 degrees north, a latitude corresponding almost to the centre of Greenland! Of course, the impact of the Gulf Stream (Golfstrømmen) results in much milder temperatures, but geographically, this is still the Arctic, and good snow conditions usually persist until mid-May.
Skiing in Lyngen is therefore a unique experience, offering the opportunity to enjoy excellent spring snow conditions, long days, and spectacular Arctic scenery well into May.
For our part, we always begin the skiing season at the end of February and finish it at the beginning of May, usually around May 7th. This gives us the best overall snow conditions. In 12 years of skiing here, we have never experienced problems with snow during this period, although we have seen them in January and February.
Let us give you a short summary of weather conditions during the winter months.
January
First of all, it’s dark – it’s the Arctic night. There is very little light, just around three hours of what we call the “blue day”, and the sun appears over the horizon only towards the end of the month.
It’s very windy and, despite regular snowfall, snow cover can still be relatively poor and uneven, especially in exposed areas. Certainly not a month we would recommend for ski touring.
Average temperatures are usually between -10 and -5°C, with average winds of around 4–5 m/s.
Our advice – stay home or visit the Alps
February
There is usually a warmer period in February, but it is nonetheless still quite windy and cold. There is more snow, and February is typically one of the snowiest months of the season, with around 50 cm or more of snowfall according to our observations.
Towards the end of the month, the days get quite long – already comparable with northern Europe, at around nine hours – and the overall conditions make it possible to go for regular ski tours.
Temperatures usually range from -10 to -4°C.
March
This is a regular ski touring month. It’s much less windy than in January and February, snowfall is still substantial – around 35 cm according to our observations – but the days get longer very quickly and we get some really nice and sunny weather.
Temperatures at sea level are often between -7 and -1°C, but the higher you go, the colder it gets. At 1000 m, you can expect temperatures to be roughly 6–7°C lower than at sea level, and if you add wind chill, it can be quite cold – believe us.
Still, it’s a great month, with loads of fresh snow, predominantly excellent skiing conditions and some sunny weather. It is very much a winter month, though, so don’t forget your down jackets.
April
That’s our favourite time.
Days are long and usually very sunny, and it can get really warm when you’re exposed to the sun. Sometimes we can sunbathe in front of our lodge for hours, admiring the breathtaking views over Kågen island.
It’s much less windy and snowfall is still substantial – around 20 cm on average according to our observations, although in our experience there is often more than that. In fact, in recent years we have repeatedly seen massive April snowfalls delivering at least 50 cm in a single storm.
Temperatures at sea level are very friendly – often between -4 and +2°C – but it still gets frosty higher up.
Altogether, this makes for perfect skiing conditions and a perfect time to visit. Those who regularly come to the Arctic know it very well.
May
The beginning of May is often blessed with a period of colder temperatures and fresh snowfall. Average temperatures during the first part of May are usually between 0 and +5°C, and according to our observations we get around 5 cm of snowfall on average.
It is actually a very good time for skiing. It is usually possible to ski down to the waterline until mid-May. In our 12 years here, we have experienced a shortage of snow at sea level only once, while conditions higher in the mountains were still good.
The beginning of May is often very sunny, creating spells of beautiful weather and sometimes making it possible to ski in T-shirts.
Although you shouldn’t expect regular powder snow, you get spring snow and slush in return, so the skiing can be extremely rewarding and just as thrilling as at any other time of the season.
Summary
So which month should you choose?
March gives you a better chance of powder, but it is colder, more wintry and generally less sunny. April is milder and sunnier while still offering a good chance of powder skiing. Early May brings very long days, spring snow and often beautiful weather.
Trust us – any of these choices is good. There is no bad option here.
Average temperature at sea level in the Skjervøy/Uløya area (approx., 1991–2020 climate normal):
Jan -3°C | Feb -3°C | Mar -2°C | Apr +1°C | May +5°C
NB: These are sea-level temperatures. Conditions in the mountains are considerably colder. As a rough rule of thumb, expect temperatures to decrease by about 0.6–0.7°C per 100 metres of elevation, before accounting for wind chill.
Based on our 12 years of observations, we estimate the average monthly snowfall to be approximately:
Jan 50 cm | Feb 50 cm | Mar 34 cm | Apr 20 cm | May 5 cm | Jun 0 cm
These are, of course, approximate figures based on our own observations rather than official meteorological statistics, and snowfall varies considerably with altitude and from year to year.
Enjoy your skiing this season and bring back home a lot of great memories!