It Has Never Been This Hot Before. Norway Sets a New Record
March 2026 was the warmest March in the history of measurements in Norway. The record was broken by 0.6°C.
The new result clearly exceeded previous data.
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The Meteorological Institute reported a record-high temperature in March. The national average was 3.9°C above the climate norm. The previous record was set in 2012, when the deviation was 3.3°C. This year's result marks a clear surpassing of the previous record.
Temperature Records Across the Country
The highest monthly temperature was recorded at the Sunndalsøra station. It reached 7.6°C, which was 4.7°C above the norm. The previous national record belonged to Landvik and was 6.8°C. The 0.8°C difference was considered significant. The data indicate a clear deviation from previous measurements.
A total of 111 station records for March were set. Some stations have been measuring for over 100 years. New records were noted in the Vestlandet, Trøndelag, and northern Norway regions. In Møre og Romsdal, Trøndelag, and the northern part of the country, the month was classified as extremely warm. In the rest of southern Norway, very warm conditions prevailed.
A total of 111 station records for March were set. Some stations have been measuring for over 100 years. New records were noted in the Vestlandet, Trøndelag, and northern Norway regions. In Møre og Romsdal, Trøndelag, and the northern part of the country, the month was classified as extremely warm. In the rest of southern Norway, very warm conditions prevailed.
Monthly weather summary showing air temperature.Illustration: Meteorologisk institutt
Precipitation Above Normal and Local Extremes
The country's average precipitation was 20 percent higher than normal. March 2026 ranked 15th among the wettest Marches since 1901. Extremely high precipitation was recorded in parts of Nordland and Finnmark. Similar phenomena occurred locally in Vestlandet and the eastern part of the country.
The highest precipitation totals were recorded in Kongsmarka, where 611.4 mm of rain fell. This is 188 percent more than normal. In Lurøy and Kvitfossen, values also exceeded 590 mm. At the same time, very dry conditions occurred in inland regions. In Kvikne, total precipitation was only 4.4 mm, which is 86 percent less than normal.
The highest precipitation totals were recorded in Kongsmarka, where 611.4 mm of rain fell. This is 188 percent more than normal. In Lurøy and Kvitfossen, values also exceeded 590 mm. At the same time, very dry conditions occurred in inland regions. In Kvikne, total precipitation was only 4.4 mm, which is 86 percent less than normal.
Monthly weather summary with precipitation information.Photo: Meteorologisk institutt
The data show the simultaneous occurrence of extremely different weather conditions in the same month. High temperatures covered almost the entire country. However, the distribution of precipitation was highly regionally varied. Measurements from stations indicate that large deviations from the norm persist in subsequent observation periods.
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