A new book, “This Is How the New Norwegian Weather Will Be,” offers insight into the changes in Norwegian weather and how climate change will affect everyday life in the country.
Since 1980, precipitation in Norway has increased by more than 20 percent. Climate models indicate that by the end of this century, rainfall and snowfall will be 10 to 20 percent higher than now. That is an increase of perhaps 50 percent during this century. More and more of this rain will come as torrential rain.
In July 2024, Bø in Telemark was hit by heavy rain for several days. Several hundred people had to be evacuated from their homes, roads and bridges were destroyed, and fields were flooded.
On July 29, 2021, 78.5 mm of rain fell within one hour from an intense rainstorm over Tjøme. That is as much as the norm for the entire month of July.
On August 16, 2011, the heavens opened up over the municipality of Holtålen in Sør-Trøndelag, and the Gaula River overflowed its banks. Large amounts of water flooded into buildings, destroying much of the infrastructure, the shops, and the brand-new artificial turf pitch that was to be opened that day. There will be many such episodes in the years to come.
What we can expect in the years to come
What the future Norwegian weather will look like and how it will transform the way we live is the theme of a new book that offers thought-provoking insight into what we can expect in the years to come.
“This is what the new Norwegian weather will be like where you live, go on trips and have holidays” is written by Ole Mathismoen, leading environmental writer and long-time journalist at Aftenposten, together with meteorologist and climate researcher Hans Olav Hygen at the Meteorological Institute. In the new book, the two explain what is happening to our weather and why. In addition, they present regional forecasts for winter, spring, summer, and autumn.
How the weather will change where you live
“We explain why and how different weather phenomena will occur more frequently. Heavier rain, warmer heat waves, and more snow in the mountains. And most importantly, we try to give the reader answers to how the weather will change where you live, where you like to go hiking, and where you have a cabin. There is a lot of uncertainty, but researchers are becoming increasingly sure about the trends,” say Hans Olav Hygen and Ole Mathismoen.
“In the book, we have selected 21 places. Some on the coast, some inland, some in the mountains. If you imagine a large enough circle around these 21 places, the whole of Norway is covered. Together, they represent the new Norwegian weather. The book also gives a taste of trends we are in the midst of, and which are changing Norway. Climate change affects us in countless ways, from the permafrost at Galdhøpiggen thawing to moose struggling with more insect bites and parasites.”
Norway is experiencing more extreme weather
Climate change is affecting the everyday lives of all Norwegians. What were once stable and predictable seasons are being replaced by shorter winters, early springs, stronger storms, wetter rainy periods, and hotter summers. Norway is experiencing more extreme weather, with regional variations already evident.
With global warming, for example, Bergen will be wetter than Oslo, while Oslo’s weather will increasingly resemble Bergen’s weather today. Weather patterns are changing. People in Southern Norway will have to get used to weather patterns common in northern France, while those living in Central Norway can expect the weather southerners have had up until now. The extreme rain “Hans” in August 2023 caused record flooding. Rain replaced snow in February, and many are experiencing poorer skiing conditions. A near-record warm July meant many people in Trøndelag could enjoy real summer weather. At the same time, Europe experienced the warmest March ever, accompanied by an almost global heat wave.
This Is How the New Norwegian Weather Will Be, translated by Tor Kjolberg from a press release by Cappelen Damm.
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