Despite the relative small size of Norway, it experiences vast weather differences across the country. In one day it can be -20 and snowing in the Northern part of the country and +10 and sunny in the South. Stavanger is found on the Southwest tip of the country and the climate is described as mild-maritime weather.
To put things in perspective, Stavanger is 3º below the latitude of Southern Alaska and 3º above the latitude of our last Canadian home, Grande Prairie. One would think we'd be living in Arctic temperatures during the winter season, but I'm happy to tell you that it doesn't even come close to the winters we spent in Alberta.
Our temperatures hover around 0ºC throughout winter. We have seen snow twice and it stuck around a few days but there is currently no trace of it left. One day the temperature plunged to -11 and people didn't know what to do with themselves. (-11 in Grande Prairie is welcome after a week of -35.) We've seen a lot of rain and a lot of darkness but it's not the snowy wonderland one might imagine.
The last 2 weeks have been consistently below 0 but I'm certainly not complaining. The freezing temperatures have brought clear skies and sunshine which is a welcome reprieve from the rain and wind. The lakes have frozen over and kids and families are heading out to skate. Joe and I have been bundling up and taking long, Sunday walks and I cannot get enough of the calm waters & blue skies.
beautiful! -20C here now ;) but sunny. i can deal with it! i love the beauty of western norway though :)
ReplyDeleteFabulous photos, as always! I imagine your long Sunday walks to be fabulous as you take in your surroundings and discover Stavanger. Your photos remind me of a specific type of winter day in Canada: when the Chinook comes in and it's still cold to the bone, but when that slightly warm breeze and the sun emerge, you feel the thaw. Just a little. :-)
ReplyDeleteoh those colors are amazing! I'd rather snow if it's going to be that cold, but it does look beautiful :)
ReplyDeleteThese pictures are beautiful! Its hovering around the -5C here, with a few bits of snow left over. I'm a fellow lover of winter blue skies - there's something gorgeous about clear blue skies and long walks in the cold!
ReplyDeleteHoly shiza, it gets to -35 in Alberta?! WHOA. I don't know how you did it!!!
ReplyDeleteIt's 50 something in Las Vegas and the weather people are carrying on about how it's not normal. We're usually in the low 60s in January, though. I've lived in negative temps before - there comes a point when a person just isn't cold anymore.
ReplyDeleteI think people just like to complain about the weather be it too hot or too cold!
DeleteI'm Norweigan so I long to go there someday! I'm always jealous when other people go. :-)
ReplyDeleteAlso, my brother just married a girl from Grande Prarie so my hubby and I took a long road trip from Portland, Oregon to get there. It's gorgeous! (Yes, we did go in the summer) :-)
Portland to Grande Prairie is certainly a long road trip!
DeleteGorgeous, but oh so cold!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
ReplyDeleteSuch stunning photos - the air looks so crisp and clean! I'm glad that you guys are able to tolerate the cold... I might just die after a week or two coming from California!
ReplyDeletexxx
Jenna
really love these pics!
ReplyDeletei mean... no... just no.... 0, -11, -35... all of those sound likes something out of a horror film.... hahah ok dramatics over
ReplyDeleteIt looks beautiful! It always amuses me when people are so stunned at Canadian temps. Ottawa is the world's second coldest capital city in the world so -11 is nothing. Growing up, I didn't even put on a winter coat until it hit -10! Of course now that I've gone soft after living in Australia, I can wear jeans and a tshirt at +25 and usually have a cardigan or hoodie on if it's +20. Norwich, where I am now, got to -12 the first week I was here and everyone was freaking out! I look forward to seeing what springtime looks like in Norway :)
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