August weather in Scandinavia?
 

In late August, our Baltic cruise will take us to Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm, Helsinki, St Petersburg, Estonia and a port near Berlin. Should we take heavy jackets? Light windbreakers? Heavy raincoats or just rain ponchos?
I read something about the average August temp in these areas to be 60 degrees F.
What should we take?
Thank you,
Sue

Do your guidebooks not cover that information?!? If not, you certainly might want to get at least one better one! In the meantime, you can get some information on-line at:
http://www.timeanddate.com/weather/

It won't be heavy jacket weather, but it won't be tropical either. Days will likely be between 65 and 75 or so. Nights will drop likely into the 50s.

Rain is not uncommon, and August is more prone to real storms than other months. You won't need or want full rain gear, but a waterproof shell/windbreaker would be a good idea. An umbrella would be nice too. Nobody with any dignity wears a poncho, so nix that idea. Bring a fleece if you feel nights in the 50s warrants it.

thank you travel gourmet! Very helpful response.
Kia...yes, have consulted 3 guidebooks and each says something different.
Sue

I was in Stockholm last August.

It peaked at 89oF.

That was unusual but it was well over 75oF for 10 days.

A continental high pressure frequently forms in summer over Eastern Europe and Scandinavia which leads to far more settled weather than say the UK, Northern Germany and Northern France.

Late August is approaching much more unsettled weather.

I would make sure my waterproof jacket is of high quality (sorry I don't know how much you know about waterproof versus water resistant etc). I have been in Stockholm a few times in August and the weather has been beautiful except when it really, really rained. Sounds like a great trip:

http://www.weather-and-climate.com/a...ockholm,Sweden

We had beautiful warm, sunny weather in Oslo, Stockholm and Copenhagen in laye August, early September. Bring a wayerproof windbreaker to be prepared.

"have consulted 3 guidebooks and each says something different." -- How frustrating!

>>>>>"have consulted 3 guidebooks and each says something different." -- How frustrating!"

And they something different because they are written/edited by people who think it is valuable to make subjective evaluations about scientific normals. The "when I was there...." approach to informing on weather is ridiculous. "Google average weather stockholm", read a few analyses and look at a few graphs. Extremes are extremes, plan for them if you are afraid they will happen and ruin your trip. Otherwise, plan for the usual historical patterns.

"have consulted 3 guidebooks and each says something different." - which means everyone experiences something different . . . Just like fodorites.

A close relative of mine lives in St P. - and you could have anything.

"And they something different because they are written/edited by people who think it is valuable to make subjective evaluations about scientific normals. The "when I was there...." approach to informing on weather is ridiculous."

The guidebooks I use present -- or at least say they are presenting -- climate statistics, not subjective evaluations.

You need to take into account your on temp preferences.

I find summer there gorgeous - but I hate anything over 80 degrees - to me ideal is 75 high and 60-65 low at night.

But for someone used to tropical temps this may seem chilly.

I think Norway may be cool, especially at night, but I found it was generally sunny during the day and surprisingly similar to San Diego's temps (not our Aug-Oct Santa Anas) in the cooler months.

BTW, I suggest you take lots of money! I thought prices (especially food) was extremely high. Much worse than the continent.

Climate statistics mean nothing. What is typical/average/normal only means that more often than not that is <i>about</i> what the weather will be at any particular time.

Where I live it is 'normally' wet/cool-ish in mid-March . . . but yesterday it was 82F and beautiful, today it is 70F and overcast . . . tomorrow it is forecast to be in the low 60''s and raining. So . . .

It's been my experience especially here in our city, that the climate stats are changing rapidly. For as many years as I can remember it was pretty predictable but with climate change we've had such weird and strange weather.

Our late summer thru October has been much hotter than normal and just this month mid-Feb thru mid March we've had record breaking heat waves.


This would not have been predicted on an internet search.

Good point about the changing weather patterns. I'll go as prepared as possible.
I have a weather resistant jacket I want to take. Isn't there some spray you can use on coats, jeans, etc. to make it water proof?
Sue

<I>Climate statistics mean nothing.</I>

Utter nonsense. Utter nonsense and bad advice.

Best weather information for Norway - http://www.yr.no/place/Norway/Oslo/Oslo/Oslo/
See also statistics part with weather records for last year - temperature varied between 8 °C and 20 °C and there was a fair amount of rain - but every year is different! Weather is pretty unpredictable and very changeable - Saturday here was like a sunny spring day with everyone out in the parks, Sunday was a snowstorm!

>>>"Climate statistics mean nothing. What is typical/average/normal only means that more >>>often than not that is about what the weather will be at any particular time.

>>>Where I live it is 'normally' wet/cool-ish in mid-March . . . but yesterday it was 82F and >>>beautiful, today it is 70F and overcast . . . tomorrow it is forecast to be in the low 60''s >>>and raining. So . . ."

And "more often than not" along with an understanding of the likelihood and nature of the possible extremes is what one should plan for.

If ones best weather advice is to say "Well you really could encounter anything, but last year when I was there it was......" it's best not to listen.

Thanks for the lesson in what statistics mean.