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When does winter start in Sweden?

Meteorological winter and calendar winter in Sweden.

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Short answer

SMHI counts winter as started when the daily mean temperature is 0 °C or lower for five days in a row, so the date differs by place and year. By the calendar, winter runs from December to February. SMHI's season map shows the current situation across the country.

Winter in Sweden Illustration of a season wheel with snow, a birch leaf, sun and rain around a red Swedish cottage

Why

  1. According to SMHI, winter is the period when the daily mean temperature is lastingly 0.0 °C or lower.
  2. According to SMHI's season map, winter arrives when winter temperature has held for five days in a row.
  3. According to SMHI, the calendar definition counts winter as December to February.

Details

SMHI rounds the daily mean temperature to a tenth of a degree before applying the definitions. The map is updated daily at about 20:00 Swedish standard time and shows only the current situation, not the arrival dates of the seasons. SMHI says which definition suits best depends on the context.

Tip

To see whether winter has arrived where you are, check SMHI's season map, which is updated daily.

People also ask

  • When is winter in Sweden?
  • When does winter begin in Sweden?
  • Is it winter in Sweden?

Sources

Information checked on 27 October 2026.

Winter in Sweden

  • What should I wear in Gothenburg?

    What to wear in Gothenburg depends on the month, because SMHI's normal mean temperature is about 1 °C in January and about 18 °C in July.

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  • What should I wear in Sweden in March?

    In March, wear a warm jacket and scarf, because SMHI's normal mean temperature is about 2 °C in Stockholm and about 3 °C in Gothenburg.

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  • What should I wear in Sweden in November?

    In November, wear a warm coat and scarf, because SMHI's normal mean temperature is about 4 °C in Stockholm and about 5 °C in Gothenburg.

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  • Is it always dark in Sweden in winter (polar night)?

    No, in Stockholm the sun is up from 8:47 am to 2:55 pm in January, and polar night, with no sunrise at all, only occurs in the far north.

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