Kristiansand climate
Kristiansand (Norway) has a temperate oceanic climate (Köppen Cfb). The average temperature over the year is 9 °C48 °F, and about 1,258 mm50 in of precipitation falls in an average year.
Temperature by month
Precipitation by month
Kristiansand climate table
| Month | High °C°F | Low °C°F | Mean °C°F | Precip. mmin | Frost days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 439 | 235 | 337 | 1305.1 | 10 |
| Feb | 338 | 133 | 236 | 943.7 | 12 |
| Mar | 540 | 235 | 338 | 813.2 | 8 |
| Apr | 846 | 540 | 643 | 652.6 | 0 |
| May | 1254 | 947 | 1051 | 763.0 | 0 |
| Jun | 1661 | 1254 | 1457 | 813.2 | 0 |
| Jul | 1865 | 1558 | 1662 | 893.5 | 0 |
| Aug | 1865 | 1559 | 1762 | 1124.4 | 0 |
| Sep | 1560 | 1355 | 1457 | 1124.4 | 0 |
| Oct | 1152 | 948 | 1050 | 1495.9 | 0 |
| Nov | 846 | 642 | 744 | 1365.3 | 1 |
| Dec | 542 | 338 | 440 | 1335.3 | 6 |
| Year | 1865 | 133 | 948 | 1,25850 | 36 |
“Year” row: highest monthly high, lowest monthly low, annual mean and annual total. Frost days are for the whole grid cell.
| Month | Humid. | Cloud | Solar | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 89% | 86% | 0.3 | 7:07 |
| Feb | 89% | 84% | 0.9 | 9:15 |
| Mar | 87% | 79% | 2.1 | 11:36 |
| Apr | 84% | 74% | 3.6 | 14:17 |
| May | 82% | 69% | 4.9 | 16:42 |
| Jun | 81% | 69% | 5.5 | 18:11 |
| Jul | 83% | 70% | 4.9 | 17:33 |
| Aug | 84% | 72% | 3.8 | 15:20 |
| Sep | 85% | 74% | 2.5 | 12:41 |
| Oct | 86% | 77% | 1.2 | 10:07 |
| Nov | 87% | 80% | 0.5 | 7:44 |
| Dec | 88% | 85% | 0.2 | 6:27 |
Humid. = average relative humidity at 2 m; cloud = average cloud amount; solar = average daily solar energy reaching the ground in kWh/m² (all-sky); daylight in hours:minutes, calculated for the 15th of each month.
What the climate of Kristiansand is like
The warmest month is August, with an average high of 18 °C65 °F and a low of 15 °C59 °F. The coldest is February, when highs average 3 °C38 °F and lows 1 °C33 °F. There is a clear seasonal cycle, with 14.6 °C26.3 °F between the average temperature of the warmest and the coolest month.
It is wet, with about 1,258 mm50 in of precipitation per year. The wettest three-month stretch is October–December, which brings 33% of the annual total. The wettest month is October (149 mm5.9 in), the driest is April (65 mm2.6 in).
Relative humidity ranges from 81% in June to 89% in February. The clearest skies (lowest average cloud amount, 69%) are typical of June. Average wind speed near the ground ranges from 12 km/h (7 mph) in May to 18 km/h (11 mph) in January. Daylight lasts from about 6.5 hours in December to 18.2 hours in June.
A lasting snow cover is typical in January–March. In those months the average snow depth in the reanalysis exceeds 10 cm. It is deepest in February, at about 13 cm.
Best time to visit Kristiansand
Based on these averages, the most comfortable months for sightseeing and outdoor activities are June–August. Average highs then reach 16 °C61 °F to 18 °C65 °F. Precipitation is 81 mm3.2 in to 112 mm4.4 in per month.
The most challenging month is January, which is cold, with average highs of 4 °C39 °F.
Comfort score: months are ranked by how close they come to an ideal. That means an average high of 21–28 °C (70–82 °F), lows above 5 °C (41 °F), little precipitation and moderate humidity. The best-ranked months of each place are recommended, even where none meets all of these. These are general rules of thumb applied to long-term averages.
What to pack for Kristiansand
- Winter (December–February) — highs 338 to 5 °C42 °F, lows 133 to 3 °C38 °F, about 119 mm4.7 in of precipitation a month. Pack a warm coat, layers and closed shoes and an umbrella or light rain jacket.
- Spring (March–May) — highs 540 to 12 °C54 °F, lows 235 to 9 °C47 °F, about 74 mm2.9 in of precipitation a month. Pack a warm coat, layers and closed shoes.
- Summer (June–August) — highs 1661 to 18 °C65 °F, lows 1254 to 15 °C59 °F, about 94 mm3.7 in of precipitation a month. Pack long sleeves, a sweater and a medium jacket and an umbrella or light rain jacket.
- Autumn (September–November) — highs 846 to 15 °C60 °F, lows 642 to 13 °C55 °F, about 132 mm5.2 in of precipitation a month. Pack long sleeves, a sweater and a medium jacket and an umbrella or light rain jacket.
How Kristiansand compares
The nearest larger place is Stavanger, about 160 km to the northwest. Compared with it, Kristiansand is on average 0.4 °C0.8 °F warmer. It receives 30% less precipitation (1,258 mm50 in vs 1,787 mm70 in). The difference is largest in June (1 °C1.8 °F warmer).
World Climates covers 6 places in Norway. By annual mean temperature, Kristiansand is the warmest of them. By annual precipitation, it is the 5th wettest. See all of them on the Norway climate page.
Some places in other countries have a very similar pattern of temperature and rainfall. The closest matches are Bradford (United Kingdom, Cfb), Preston (United Kingdom, Cfb) and Glasgow (United Kingdom, Cfb).
Nearby places
- Climate in Stavanger 160 km · 9 °C47 °F · 1,787 mm70 in
- Climate in Aalborg 167 km · 9 °C47 °F · 849 mm33 in
- Climate in Drammen 218 km · 7 °C44 °F · 1,285 mm51 in
- Climate in Gothenburg 239 km · 9 °C48 °F · 1,032 mm41 in
- Climate in Oslo 252 km · 6 °C43 °F · 1,047 mm41 in
- Climate in Århus 258 km · 9 °C48 °F · 797 mm31 in
- Climate in Bergen 292 km · 7 °C45 °F · 2,719 mm107 in
- Climate in Odense 339 km · 9 °C48 °F · 700 mm28 in
Frequently asked questions
What is the warmest month in Kristiansand?
August is the warmest month in Kristiansand. Its average high is 18 °C (65 °F) and its average low is 15 °C (59 °F).
What is the coldest month in Kristiansand?
February is the coldest month. Its average high is 3 °C (38 °F) and its average low is 1 °C (33 °F).
When does it rain the most in Kristiansand?
October is the wettest month with about 149 mm (5.9 in) of precipitation. April is the driest with about 65 mm (2.6 in).
What is the best time to visit Kristiansand?
Judging by long-term averages, the most comfortable months are June–August.
About this data
All figures are 25-year averages (January 2001 – December 2025) from the NASA POWER project. Temperature, humidity, wind and precipitation come from the MERRA-2 reanalysis (precipitation is the bias-corrected MERRA-2 product), cloud and solar values from CERES satellite data. They describe a grid cell of roughly 50–70 km, not a single weather station. So they can differ from airport records. The gaps are largest on coasts, in mountains and for rainfall. Average highs and lows are the monthly mean temperature plus/minus half of the average daily temperature range. Counts of rainy days are not part of this dataset.