How cold does it get on a Tromsø husky tour?

Colder inland than in town, and that is the whole point. Tromsø’s January average is about −3.3 °C, with average daily figures of −2 °C high and −6 °C low. Tamokdalen runs −10 to −20 °C and occasionally −30 °C. Dress for the camp you booked rather than for the city forecast, because the two can be fifteen degrees apart on the same afternoon.

Tromsø January meanAbout −3.3 °C

Tromsø record low−18.4 °C

Bardufoss January mean−9.7 °C

Tamokdalen winter−10 to −20 °C

Coldest monthJanuary

Dogs work best−5 to −25 °C

The coast is mild because of the North Atlantic Drift and the westerlies reaching this far north. Tromsø’s record low of −18.4 °C is comparable to Florida’s, despite roughly forty degrees more latitude, and the sea here ranges from 4.2 °C in March to 11.3 °C in August and never freezes. Bardufoss, 70 km inland, has a January mean of −9.7 °C, a record low of −38.1 °C and 93 days a winter at −10 °C or colder. That contrast is the reason the inland camps exist, and it is unpacked at husky camps near Tromsø.

What works

A thermal suit, boots and usually mittens and a hat are issued
Dry inland cold feels milder than damp coastal cold at the same reading
Driving the sled keeps you warm
There is a fire and a hot meal at the end of most tours

Worth knowing

Riding as the passenger is the cold half of the run
Wind on open ground changes what a thermometer says
Cotton base layers turn cold into a hazard
Inland camps can hit −30 °C

Handler’s tip

Judge your layers by the passenger half, not the driving half. Twenty minutes sitting still at −20 °C is a different experience from twenty minutes working. Full kit list at what to wear.

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Frequently asked questions

How cold is it in Tromsø in winter?

The January average is about −3.3 °C, with typical daily highs and lows of −2 and −6 °C. December and February run similarly; March averages 1 °C by day. The record low is −18.4 °C.

Is Camp Tamok colder than Tromsø?

Considerably. Tamokdalen sits at −10 to −20 °C through winter and occasionally −30 °C, against a coastal January mean near −3.3 °C. It is also drier, which is why the snow lasts.

Will I be warm enough on the tour?

If you wear wool under the issued thermal suit, yes. Cotton is the classic mistake because it holds moisture. The layer system is set out at what to wear.