Climate Insights for Longyearbyen

The climate in Longyearbyen is cold. The average annual temperature is -4°C and approximately 479mm of precipitation falls per year. September is the wettest month, receiving around 60mm of rainfall. Longyearbyen is in the Northern Hemisphere. Summer begins at the end of June and lasts through September. The summer months are: July, August, June. The coldest months are March, February, January, when temperatures can drop to -15°C. Longyearbyen experiences heavy snowfall, typically from January through December.

Temperatures in Longyearbyen vary considerably across the year, with a 23°C difference between the coldest and warmest months. July is the warmest month, though highs remain moderate at 8°C with a mean of 7°C. March brings the harshest conditions, with lows dropping to -15°C and an average temperature of -13°C. Daily temperature variation is modest, with an average difference of 3°C between highs and lows. The sharpest temperature change occurs between April and May, with a 6°C shift in average temperatures.

Longyearbyen is a relatively dry area, receiving approximately 479mm of precipitation annually, which averages out to around 40mm per month. The wettest month is September, averaging 60mm of rainfall. August and December also tend to see above-average precipitation. The driest month is June, with just 22mm. That's 38mm less than September, the wettest month. Precipitation varies noticeably between seasons, with the second half (July to December) of the year generally seeing more rainfall. Longyearbyen receives heavy snowfall, accumulating around 232cm annually from January through December. The snowiest month is December, with approximately 34cm. Winter travel should account for significant snow cover.

Longyearbyen is mildly breezy, with an average annual wind speed of 14km/h. For context, sustained winds below 12km/h are generally light, while anything above 25km/h is considered strong. The windiest month is January, averaging 17km/h, though still comfortable for most outdoor activities. The calmest conditions occur in June, with average winds dropping to 12km/h, making it an ideal period for wind-sensitive activities. There is moderate seasonal variation in wind speed, with a 5km/h gap between the calmest and windiest months. Wind tends to be stronger during winter months, driven by seasonal pressure systems. The seasonal averages break down to 16km/h in winter, 14km/h in spring, 12km/h in summer, 14km/h in autumn.

It is currently spring in Longyearbyen, which began on March 20, 2026. Longyearbyen is in the Northern Hemisphere, where spring begins in March, summer in June, autumn in September, and winter in December. The warmest period peaks in July at around 8°C, while the coldest stretch bottoms out in March near -15°C. Summer is next, beginning on June 21, 2026 — 89 days from now.

The table below shows monthly climate averages for Longyearbyen based on historical weather data. Min and max temperatures represent typical overnight lows and afternoon highs for each month, shown in degrees Celsius (°C). Precipitation is measured in millimetres (mm) and indicates the average total rainfall per month. Snow is measured in centimetres (cm) and reflects average monthly snowfall accumulation. Wind speed is the average sustained speed in kilometres per hour (km/h). All values are based on averages from over 10 years of historical weather data. The current month is highlighted for quick reference.