Can you dive Norway all year?

Not everywhere at once. Counting both areas, 7 months of the year have somewhere at its best; the rest are workable but off peak.

How warm is the water in Norway?

3 to 13 °C across the year, depending on the area and the month. Each area's page gives its own month-by-month temperatures.

Europe & Atlantic

Best Time to Dive in Norway

2 dive areas, each scored on its own. The season peaks April–August at Narvik wrecks, and November–December at Lofoten / Skjervoy orcas.

The 2 dive areas in Norway, compared month by month
	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Lofoten / Skjervoy orcas	January: Moderate	February: Off season	March: Off season	April: Off season	May: Off season	June: Off season	July: Off season	August: Off season	September: Off season	October: Good	November: Good	December: Good
Narvik wrecks	January: Off season	February: Off season	March: Off season	April: Good	May: Good	June: Good	July: Good	August: Good	September: Good	October: Off season	November: Off season	December: Off season

Moderate Off season Good

Norway compared

Side by side

The 2 dive areas in Norway, compared on season, water, visibility and how they are dived
Dive area	Best time	Water	Visibility	Dived from	Suits
Lofoten / Skjervoy orcas	Nov–Dec	3–11 °C	0–30 m	snorkelling	experienced divers
Narvik wrecks	Apr–Aug	3–13 °C	0–30 m	day boat	experienced divers

Water and visibility are the whole year's range at each area, coldest month to warmest. Visibility is estimated from satellite chlorophyll-a.

Which area to pick

Lofoten / Skjervoy orcas: The only one in season from November to December. It is dived only from the surface.
Narvik wrecks: The only one in season from April to August. It is dived only from day boats.

Norway month by month

Jan: Nowhere at its best; Lofoten / Skjervoy orcas is workable.
Feb–Mar: Nowhere at its best.
Apr–Sep: Good at Narvik wrecks. Off season at Lofoten / Skjervoy orcas.
Oct–Dec: Good at Lofoten / Skjervoy orcas. Off season at Narvik wrecks.

Lofoten / Skjervoy orcas

Nov–Dec

Go November to December for orca. Only 1.1 hours of daylight then, while the calmest water is May to September. Diving holds up from April to September.

Lofoten / Skjervoy orcas conditions month by month
Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
January: Moderate	February: Off season	March: Off season	April: Off season	May: Off season	June: Off season	July: Off season	August: Off season	September: Off season	October: Good	November: Good	December: Good

Moderate Off season Good

Water: 3–11 °C
Wear: drysuit
Dived from: snorkelling
Suits: experienced divers

Lofoten / Skjervoy orcas month by month →

Narvik wrecks

Apr–Aug

The reason to dive it is the WWII wrecks of Narvik fjord. It runs all year, so pick your month on the sea and the sky: April to August. The full season runs April to September.

Narvik wrecks conditions month by month
Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
January: Off season	February: Off season	March: Off season	April: Good	May: Good	June: Good	July: Good	August: Good	September: Good	October: Off season	November: Off season	December: Off season

Off season Good

Water: 3–13 °C
Wear: drysuit
Dived from: day boat
Suits: experienced divers

Narvik wrecks month by month →

Diving in Norway: common questions

When is the best time to dive Norway?: It depends which area. The season peaks April–August at Narvik wrecks, and November–December at Lofoten / Skjervoy orcas.
Can you dive Norway all year?: Not everywhere at once. Counting both areas, 7 months of the year have somewhere at its best; the rest are workable but off peak.
How warm is the water in Norway?: 3 to 13 °C across the year, depending on the area and the month. Each area's page gives its own month-by-month temperatures.