Oslo has a humid continental climate (Dfb according to the Köppen climate classification system). Because of the city's northern latitude, daylight varies greatly from more than 18 hours in midsummer to around 6 hours in midwinter. Despite its northerly location, the climate is relatively mild throughout the year because of the Gulf Stream.
Oslo has pleasantly mild to warm summers with average high temperatures of 20-22 °C (68-72 °F) and lows of around 12 °C (54 °F). Temperatures exceed 25 °C (77 °F) quite often, and heatwaves are common during the summer. In the summer of 2009, a heatwave caused temperatures to exceed 30 °C (86 °F) for six straight days, peaking at 33 °C (91 °F). The highest temperature ever recorded was 35 °C (95 °F) on 21 July 1901. Due to the fjord's being a relatively enclosed body of water, the water temperatures can get quite high during long warm periods. During the summer of 2008, the water reached a temperature of 24 °C (75 °F). Spring and autumn are generally chilly, but warmer or colder periods are not uncommon. Winters are cold and snowy with temperatures between -7 °C (19 °F) up to -1 °C (30 °F). The coldest temperature recorded is -27.1 °C (-16.8 °F) in January 1942. Temperatures have tended to be higher in recent years.
Annual precipitation is 763 millimetres (30.0 in) with moderate rainfall throughout the year. Snowfall can occur from November to April, but snow accumulation occurs mainly from January through March. Almost every winter, ice develops in the innermost parts of the Oslofjord, and some winters the whole inner fjord freezes. As it is far from the mild Atlantic water of the west coast, this large fjord can freeze over, although this has become rare.
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