When to go · Longyearbyen
Longyearbyen in October
Avoid month. Listed as a month to avoid: Late Oct–mid Feb (polar night, most boat and many tours closed).
Key facts
- Verdict
- Avoid
- Temperature
- −2°C (28°F)28°F (−2°C) / −6°C (21°F)21°F (−6°C)
- average high / low
- Rain days
- 18
- Crowds
- Low
- Norway overall
- Prices
- Low
- Norway overall
Verdict
Listed as a month to avoid: Late Oct–mid Feb (polar night, most boat and many tours closed).
Is another month better than October?
October is rated avoid. These months rate higher:
- MarchGreatInside Longyearbyen's best window: Mar–May (snow, auroras, snowmobile season) and Jun–Aug (midnight sun, boat trips).
- AprilGreatInside Longyearbyen's best window: Mar–May (snow, auroras, snowmobile season) and Jun–Aug (midnight sun, boat trips).
- MayGreatInside Longyearbyen's best window: Mar–May (snow, auroras, snowmobile season) and Jun–Aug (midnight sun, boat trips).
- JuneGreatInside Longyearbyen's best window: Mar–May (snow, auroras, snowmobile season) and Jun–Aug (midnight sun, boat trips).
Weather in October
- LongyearbyenHighs around -2 °C (28 °F), lows around -6 °C (21 °F), rain on about 18 daysHighs around 28 °F (-2 °C), lows around 21 °F (-6 °C), rain on about 18 days
- Svalbard, Norway · Longyearbyencool
High Arctic: polar night late October to mid-February (true darkness mid-Nov to end of Jan); midnight sun about 20 April – 23 August. Snowmobile season March–May.
Crowds and prices
- Crowds · Norway overall
- Low
- Prices · Norway overall
- Low
Norway overall: Wet and dark in the south; mountain roads close; good aurora nights in the north.
Compare two months
Weather, crowds and prices for any two months in Longyearbyen, side by side.
Verdict
Oct: Avoid
Mar: Great (better)
Daytime high
Oct: -2 °C (28 °F)28 °F (-2 °C)
Mar: -9 °C (16 °F)16 °F (-9 °C)
Night low
Oct: -6 °C (21 °F)21 °F (-6 °C)
Mar: -16 °C (3 °F)3 °F (-16 °C)
Rain days
Oct: 18
Mar: 16 (better)
Crowds
Oct: Low
Mar: Medium
Prices
Oct: Low
Mar: Medium
Festivals listed
Oct: 0
Mar: 1
October: Listed as a month to avoid: Late Oct–mid Feb (polar night, most boat and many tours closed).
March: Inside Longyearbyen's best window: Mar–May (snow, auroras, snowmobile season) and Jun–Aug (midnight sun, boat trips).
Longyearbyen: figures are long-term averages from this guide, not a forecast.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat and gloves for mornings and evenings
- A rain jacket or umbrella and shoes that dry fast
- Layers: a fleece or light jacket