Climate zones in Norway, 1991 to 2020
Share of Norway's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 1,187,102 map cells used cover 96% of the country's outline (about 368,488 km²).
By major group: D (cold (continental)) 71%, E (polar) 25%, C (temperate) 4%.
Dfc, subarctic (boreal), is the main climate of Norway, covering 57% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020, with ET (tundra) next at 25%. In plain terms, subarctic (boreal) means long, cold winters and short, cool summers. Under the middle-of-the-road scenario (SSP2-4.5), 30% of its land is projected to be in a different zone by 2071 to 2099, with the biggest gain going to Dfb (warm-summer humid continental).
How Norway's zones have changed and may change
Each row compares a map with 1991 to 2020. "Share in a different zone" is the share of the country's area whose class is different from 1991 to 2020. Future rows are model projections under an emissions scenario, not forecasts.
| Map | Share in a different zone | Different major group | Biggest gain | Biggest loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1901 to 1930 (past) | 20% | 8.5% | Dfb +7.4 percentage points | ET -4.9 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 17% | 8.6% | Dfb +5.4 percentage points | ET -5.1 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 30% | 14% | Dfb +9.5 percentage points | Dfc -8.4 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 60% | 26% | Dfb +22.9 percentage points | Dfc -30.5 percentage points |
For the past row, the comparison runs the other way: the 1901 to 1930 map against 1991 to 2020.
Zone shares by map
| Zone | 1901 to 1930 | 1991 to 2020 | SSP1-2.6 (2071 to 2099) | SSP2-4.5 (2071 to 2099) | SSP5-8.5 (2071 to 2099) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dfc Subarctic (boreal) | 59% | 57% | 54% | 49% | 26% |
| ET Tundra | 30% | 25% | 19% | 18% | 16% |
| Dfb Warm-summer humid continental | 6.4% | 14% | 19% | 23% | 37% |
| Cfb Temperate oceanic | 1.9% | 3.8% | 6.8% | 11% | 21% |
| EF Ice cap (frost) | 2.4% | 0.7% | 0.1% | - | - |
| Cfc Subpolar oceanic | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.1% | - |
| Dsc Subarctic with dry summer | 1.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Cfa Humid subtropical | - | - | - | - | 0.1% |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Cities in Norway and their climate zones
| City | 1991 to 2020 | 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Oslo | Dfb Warm-summer humid continental | Dfb Warm-summer humid continental |
Zones found in Norway
Data: Beck et al. (2023), CC BY 4.0; country outlines from Natural Earth. In 1901 to 1930 the most common zone was Dfc. See data sources and licences.