Editing Finnmark (section)

== Climate ==
{{climate chart
|[[Alta Airport|Alta Airport (1961–90)]]
| -12.6 | -5.3 | 32
| -11.7 | -4.5 | 25
| -8.6 | -1.4 | 23
| -4.0 | 2.6 | 17
| 1.5 | 7.5 | 20
| 7.0 | 13.7 | 33
| 10.2 | 17.2 | 54
| 8.7 | 15.2 | 49
| 4.3 | 10.0 | 38
| -1.1 |  4.0 | 39
| -6.8 | -0.8 | 34
| -10.5 | -3.4 | 36
| float=right
| clear=none
| source= [http://met.no/Klima/Klimastatistikk/Klimadata/ met.no/klimastatistikk/eklima]
}}

The [[Finnmarksvidda]] plateau in the interior of the county has a [[continental climate]] with the coldest winter temperatures in Norway: the coldest temperature ever recorded was {{convert|-51.4|C}} in [[Karasjok Municipality]] on 1 January 1886. The 24-hour averages for January and July at the same location are {{convert|-17.1|C}} and {{convert|13.1|C}}, the annual average is {{convert|-2.4|C}}, and precipitation is only {{convert|366|mm}} per year with summer as the wettest season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Norwegian Meteorological Records |url=http://met.no/observasjoner/finnmark/normaler_for_kommune_2021.html?kommuner |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071120082628/http://met.no/observasjoner/finnmark/normaler_for_kommune_2021.html?kommuner |archive-date=2007-11-20 |access-date=2009-02-12 |website=met.no}}</ref> Karasjok has recorded up to {{convert|32.4|C}} in July, giving a possible year amplitude of {{convert|84|C-change}} (rare in [[Europe]]). Finnmarksvidda has annual mean temperatures down to {{convert|-3|C}} (Sihcajavri in [[Kautokeino Municipality]]), the coldest in mainland Norway (except for higher mountain areas) and even colder than [[Jan Mayen]] and [[Bear Island (Norway)|Bear Island]]. Sihcajavri has also recorded {{convert|34.3|C}} on 23 June 1920.

Due to the proximity to the ice-free ocean, winters are much milder in coastal areas (and more windy); [[Loppa Municipality]] has average January and July temperatures of {{convert|-2|C}} and {{convert|11.6|C}} respectively, with an annual mean of {{convert|3.6|C}},<ref>{{Cite web |title=Meteorological data |url=http://met.no/observasjoner/finnmark/normaler_for_kommune_2014.html?kommuner |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071120082609/http://met.no/observasjoner/finnmark/normaler_for_kommune_2014.html?kommuner |archive-date=2007-11-20 |access-date=2009-02-12 |website=met.no}}</ref> despite being further north. Average annual precipitation is {{convert|914|mm}} and the wettest season is September until December. The year average temperature difference between Loppa and Karasjok (6&nbsp;°C) is comparable to the difference between Loppa and [[London]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-02-04 |title=Meteorological data |url=http://www.worldclimate.com/cgi-bin/data.pl?ref=N51W000+1102+03776W |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080619180206/http://www.worldclimate.com/cgi-bin/data.pl?ref=N51W000+1102+03776W |archive-date=2008-06-19 |access-date=2009-02-12 |website=worldclimate.com}}</ref>

In the [[Köppen climate classification]], the climate in Karasjok–and most of the lowland areas in Finnmark–corresponds to the Dfc category ([[subarctic climate]]), while the Loppa climate corresponds to the Cfc category. The northeastern coast, from [[Nordkapp Municipality]] east to [[Vardø Municipality]], have [[arctic]] [[tundra]] climate (Köppen: ET), as the average July temperature is below {{convert|10|C}}.
[[File:Kiollefiord.jpg|thumb|right|Kjøllefjord on the northeastern coast]]

Furthermore, elevations exceeding approximately {{convert|100|to|200|m}} in coastal areas in western Finnmark and {{convert|300|to|500|m}} in the interior result in an [[alpine climate]], and in the northeast this merges with the Arctic [[polar climate|tundra climate]].

The climate in sheltered parts of fjord areas (particularly the [[Altafjorden]]) is usually considered the most hospitable: winters are not as cold as in the interior, and summer warmth is comparable. Even if winter temperatures are milder in coastal areas, the coast is more exposed to winter storms, which often complicate or shut down road and air communications.

=== Midnight sun ===
[[File:Vadso Norwegen Februar 2004.jpg|thumb|right|Sunrise at 07:33 in February; [[Vadsø (town)|Vadsø]]]]
Situated north of the [[Arctic Circle]], Finnmark has [[midnight sun]] from the middle of May until late July. Conversely, in two months of the winter, from late November to late January, the county experiences [[polar night]]s where the sun is always below the horizon. As a consequence, there is continuous daylight from early May to early August. At midwinter, there is only a bluish twilight for a couple of hours around noon, which can almost reach full daylight if there are clear skies to the south.

=== Northern lights ===
Finnmark is in the [[Aurora (astronomy)|Aurora Borealis]] zone, and because of the dry climate with frequent clear skies, [[Alta Municipality]] was early chosen as a location for study of the phenomenon. For this reason, [[Alta (town)|Alta]] is sometimes called the city of the northern lights.