Svalbard Airport ties its October heat record

Svalbard Airport tied its record for the highest daily maximum temperature in October, at 10.2 °C, as Norway had its third warmest October since records began in 1901, the Norwegian Meteorological Institute (Meteorologisk institutt) said. The same figure was measured there on 7 October 2025.

This year's reading came on Friday 2 October, according to the institute's monthly report. Nationally, only October 1901 and October 2000 were warmer, the institute said. The country averaged 2.7 °C above the normal for today's climate, and no weather station recorded a temperature below normal. Reidun Gangstø, a climate researcher at the institute, said climate change now leaves its mark on all weather, ordinary days as well as extremes.

The institute's report puts the number of temperature records set during the month at 93. A separate institute summary said more than 60 were monthly records, and more than 20 were records for the highest temperature measured in a single day.

At Svalbard Airport the monthly mean was 1.0 °C, which is 4.8 °C above normal, the report said. Ny-Ålesund averaged 0.5 °C, or 4.7 °C above normal. Hopen averaged 2.4 °C, which is 3.9 °C above normal.

Bjørnøya (Bear Island) was the warmest Arctic station, with a mean of 4.3 °C, or 3.6 °C above normal. Sørkappøya on Svalbard also set a new October maximum record, at 6.7 °C on 2 October, the report said.

Ny-Ålesund recorded the most precipitation of the Arctic stations, at 138.2 mm, the report said. That is 229% more than normal.

The north stood out most on the mainland. Parts of Nordland, northern Troms and Finnmark were classed as extremely warm, the institute said. Finnmark was also very dry in places, while Østfold had one of its ten wettest Octobers since 1901.

Coverage: Aftenposten, NRK