Visit Lofoten – north of the Arctic Circle

Geography

Lofoten is the archipelago to the west in the ocean, north of the Arctic Circle. The principal islands are Austvågøy, Gimsøy, Vestvågøy, Flakstadøy, Moskenesøy, Værøy and Røst. The southernmost part of Norway’s largest island, Hinnøy, is also in Lofoten.

The total land area amounts to 1,227 square kilometres. The road distance is almost 170 kilometres from Fiskebøl near Vesterålen in the north to Å in the south, where the E10 ends. This road is a national tourist route. From Lofotodden, at the south end of Moskenesøy, the air distance is more than 60 kilometres to Skomvær, the southernmost point in Lofoten.

Climate and light

Due to the warm Gulf Stream, Lofoten has a much milder climate than other parts of the world at the same latitude, such as Alaska and Greenland. The coastal climate in Lofoten makes the winters mild and the summers relatively cool.

• January and February are the coldest months, with an average temperature of -1°C.
• July and August are warmest with an average temperature of 12°C.
• May and June are the driest months, with an average 40 millimetres of rainfall.

From approximately 27 May to 17 July you can experience the midnight sun in Lofoten. Whilst the polar nights last from approximately 6 December to 6 January.

photography by Juza

found on visitnorway.com