Norway avoids European heatwave as continent bakes in record temperatures

Norway will escape the extreme heatwave sweeping across Europe, with meteorologists confirming the country will see only mild late-spring conditions while much of the continent endures temperatures far above normal, Dagbladet reports.

Wales set a new May temperature record of 32.2°C on Monday, while the Spanish city of Mérida hit 37.1°C—the highest reading in Europe so far. Meanwhile, Norway remains on the cooler side of a persistent high-pressure system, according to Espen Biseth Granan, duty meteorologist at the Norwegian Meteorological Institute.

“Norway is a good place to be in Europe right now if you don’t like excessive heat,” Granan said.

Southern and eastern Norway will see mostly sunshine with only scattered showers, particularly around the Oslofjord, where stable late-spring weather is expected to hold through the weekend. Temperatures will dip slightly from last week’s highs near 20°C but remain seasonable.

Western Norway faces a wetter forecast, with Stavanger and Bergen expecting rain on Tuesday and Wednesday before gradual improvement later in the week. Central Norway will see mixed conditions, including rain on Friday and Saturday, while the far north will experience shifting weather with intermittent showers.

Granan described the European heat as “extreme” and noted such high-temperature events are likely to become more frequent. Norway’s seasonal outlook still suggests a warmer-than-average summer, though cooler spells may occur.