Editing Tromsø (section)

==Geography==
Tromsø is the 12th largest municipality in Norway with a population of 78,745.{{r|ssb}} The city is home to [[List of northernmost items|the world's northernmost]] [[University of Tromsø|university]] and also houses the northernmost [[botanical garden]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tromsø Arctic-Alpine Botanical Garden |trans-title=Botanical Garden in Tromsø |url=https://en.uit.no/tmu/botanisk |access-date=2017-02-25 |website=UiT Norges arktiske universitetsmuseum |language=en}}</ref> and [[planetarium]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nordlysplanetariet |trans-title=Northern Lights planetarium |url=http://nordnorsk.vitensenter.no/himmel/planetarium.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051228070236/http://nordnorsk.vitensenter.no/himmel/planetarium.htm |archive-date=December 28, 2005 |access-date=May 2, 2023 |website=Nordnorsk Vitensenter |language=no}}</ref>

The city centre is located on the east side of the [[Tromsøya]] island — over {{convert|300|km}} north of the [[Arctic Circle]] at {{Coord|69|40|33|N|18|55|10|E|}}. Suburban areas include [[Kroken, Troms|Kroken]], [[Tromsdalen]] (on the mainland, east of Tromsøya), the rest of the Tromsøya island, and the eastern part of the large [[Kvaløya (Tromsø)|Kvaløya]], west of the Tromsøya island. The [[Tromsø Bridge]] and [[Tromsøysund Tunnel]] both cross the [[Tromsøysundet]] strait connecting the mainland with Tromsøya by road. On the western side of the city, the [[Sandnessund Bridge]] connects Tromsøya island with Kvaløya island.

The highest point in the municipality is the {{convert|1830.7|m|adj=on}} tall mountain [[Jiehkkevárri]].<ref name="elev">{{Cite web |date=2024-01-16 |title=Høgaste fjelltopp i kvar kommune |url=https://www.kartverket.no/til-lands/fakta-om-norge/hoyeste-fjelltopp-i-kommunen |publisher=[[Kartverket]] |language=no}}</ref> There are also many other tall mountains within the municipality including [[Hamperokken]], [[Store Blåmannen]], [[Store Fornestinden]], and [[Tromsdalstinden]]. The [[Lyngen Alps]] mountain range lies along the Tromsø-Lyngen municipal border. There are many islands within the municipality of Tromsø including [[Hillesøya]], [[Kvaløya (Tromsø)|Kvaløya]], [[Rebbenesøya]], [[Ringvassøya]], [[Store Sommarøya]], and [[Tromsøya]]. There are also several fjords that are located in Tromsø including the [[Balsfjorden]], [[Kaldfjorden, Troms|Kaldfjorden]], [[Malangen (fjord)|Malangen]], and [[Ullsfjorden]].

{{ panorama | image = File:Panorama Tromsø from Fjellheisen.jpg | caption = {{center|Panoramic view of Tromsø from [[Fløya]]. The [[Tromsø Bridge]] and the [[Arctic Cathedral]] can be seen in the lower-right corner.}} | fullwidth = 7631 | fullheight = 1245 | height = 275 }}

===Climate===
[[File:Fjellheisen, Tromsø 2019.jpg|thumb|[[Fjellheisen]]]]
[[File:Rensdyr på øen Kvaløya. Tromsø Kommune. Norge.jpg|thumb|Reindeer on the Island of Kvaløya in Tromsø Municipality]]
[[File:Southwest from Gråtinden, Kvaløya (2011-08) - panoramio.jpg|thumb|Gråtinden, [[Kvaløya (Tromsø)|Kvaløya]]]]
Tromsø experiences a [[subarctic climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''Dfc'', [[Trewartha climate classification|Trewartha]] ''Eolo'') as winter temperatures are just cold enough to qualify and the summer season is short. However, precipitation amount and pattern, with maximum precipitation in autumn and winter, as well as lack of [[permafrost]], are atypical for subarctic areas and more typical for oceanic climates. Owing to the ice-free [[Norwegian Sea]] and the westerlies bringing the mild air ashore, winter temperatures in Tromsø are moderate and extremely mild for the latitude.

Summers are rather cool, sometimes cloudy and rainy, and sometimes sunny, often with large variations from year to year and from month to month, giving a completely different experience, all depending on the weather pattern. This variability is also visible in sunhours, which has been recorded since 1961: In July 1980 Tromsø recorded 430 sunhours, which is still the national record for sunniest month ever. However, July 1989 only recorded 91 sunhours. June has ranged from just 58 sunhours in June 2018 to 395 sunhours in June 1971 and also June 2002. Tromsø has also recorded the sunniest spring month in Norway with 381 sunhours in May 2013.<ref name="eklima" /> The highest temperature recorded at the met office 100 m amsl is {{convert|30.2|C|F|1}} in July 1972. Tromsø recorded its first "tropical night" with overnight low {{convert|20.8|C|F|1}} July 30, 2018.

Tromsø has reputation of accumulating a lot of snow in winter, but on the streets of the city ice often prevails, especially in the first half of the winter. Tromsø's snowfall pattern is quite erratic and varies substantially between different winters.<ref>[http://www.vg.no/nyheter/innenriks/artikkel.php?artid=165076 "Bli rik på grønn jul"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204060234/http://www.vg.no/nyheter/innenriks/artikkel.php?artid=165076 |date=4 February 2012 }}, [http://www.dagbladet.no/nyheter/1997/12/23/47941.html "Våt jul i snøbyen!"]</ref> Thaws with rain in the polar night mid-winter are not uncommon, which melts or wets existing snow, often followed by chilly windy Arctic blasts, creating dangerous ice driving and walking conditions. It is common to see Tromsø inhabitants walking with spikes in their shoes and almost all cars use studded tires.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Driving conditions in Tromsø |url=https://www.visittromso.no/travel/getting-around/road-conditions |website=visittromso.no |access-date=16 July 2023 |archive-date=16 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230716185016/https://www.visittromso.no/travel/getting-around/road-conditions |url-status=live }}</ref> The all-time record for snow depth was set on 29 April 1997, when the meteorological station on top of Tromsøya recorded {{convert|240|cm|in|1}} of snow on the ground.<ref name="eklima">{{Cite web |title=Norwegian Meteorological Institute's eklima site |url=http://sharki.oslo.dnmi.no/portal/page?_pageid=73,39035,73_39049&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161130111955/http://sharki.oslo.dnmi.no/portal/page?_pageid=73,39035,73_39049&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL |archive-date=30 November 2016 |access-date=5 August 2011}}</ref> In an average winter, Tromsø sees 160 days with at least {{convert|25|cm|in|0}} of snow on the ground (1970–2000 average, 100 meters above sea level).<ref name="met.no - Vanlig vær">{{Cite web |title=Tromsø (Troms) |url=http://met.no/Klima/Klimastatistikk/Vanlig_var/Trondelag_og_Nord-Norge/Tromso_Troms/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304082654/http://met.no/Klima/Klimastatistikk/Vanlig_var/Trondelag_og_Nord-Norge/Tromso_Troms/ |archive-date=4 March 2016 |access-date=2017-02-25 |publisher=met.no}}</ref>

The lowest temperature ever recorded is {{convert|-18.4|C|F}} in February 1966.<ref name="eklima" /> That is extremely mild for a location this far north, as it is about the same as the record cold for the [[U.S. state]] of [[Florida]] — about 40 degrees latitude further south. At the airport the all-time low is {{convert|-20.1|C|F}} in February 1985.<ref>{{Cite web |date=13 February 2009 |title=Coldest temperature in February |url=http://www.yr.no/nyheter/1.6479678 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407070453/http://www.yr.no/nyheter/1.6479678 |archive-date=7 April 2014 |access-date=22 November 2012 |website=Yr.no}}</ref> The average date for the last overnight freeze (low below {{convert|0|°C|1|abbr=on}}) in spring is 17 May<ref>{{Cite web |date=4 May 2012 |title=Siste frostnatt om våren |url=https://www.yr.no/artikkel/siste-frostnatt-om-varen-1.8119060 |access-date=24 December 2022 |archive-date=6 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230306095039/https://www.yr.no/artikkel/siste-frostnatt-om-varen-1.8119060 |url-status=live }}</ref> and average date for first freeze in autumn is 3 October (1981-2010 average)<ref name="auto">{{Cite web |date=25 September 2013 |title=Første frostnatt |url=https://www.yr.no/artikkel/forste-frostnatt-1.11261900 |access-date=8 August 2021 |archive-date=7 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210807222743/https://www.yr.no/artikkel/forste-frostnatt-1.11261900 |url-status=live }}</ref> giving a frost-free season of 138 days.
The "[[midnight sun]]" is above the horizon from 19 May to 27 July (71 days), and the period with continuous night lasts a bit shorter, [[polar night]] from 28 November to 14 January (48 days). The sunniest January (1985) recorded just 9 sunhours, while the sunniest February saw 97 sunhours (2018).

Despite mild winters, snowfall can happen almost any time of the year except from July to mid-September; in 2019, snowfall was registered on 29 June.<ref>{{Cite web |date=29 June 2019 |title=Lørdagen bød på snø i Tromsø og varme i sør |url=https://www.abcnyheter.no/nyheter/norge/2019/06/29/195590311/lordagen-bod-pa-sno-i-tromso-og-varme-i-sor |access-date=11 December 2023 |publisher=ABC Nyheter |language=nb |archive-date=11 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231211103430/https://www.abcnyheter.no/nyheter/norge/2019/06/29/195590311/lordagen-bod-pa-sno-i-tromso-og-varme-i-sor |url-status=live }}</ref>

Outside the city, large areas in the municipality are at some altitude and above the treeline with an [[alpine tundra]] [[Polar climate|climate]] (''ET'' or ''ETh''). The islands to the west at the outer seaboard are milder in winter like Måsvik, making this part of the municipality a (if the {{Convert|-3.0|C|F}} isotherm is used) [[subpolar oceanic climate]] (''Cfc'') zone.

Recent years have seen warming. The recent normal period 1991-2020 shows that the part of the city at low altitude has winters so mild that melting of snow is more likely also in mid-winter; Tromsø-Holt (20 m) coldest month (February) mean is {{convert|-2.4|C|F}}; subpolar oceanic if the {{Convert|-3.0|C|F}} isotherm is used.

{{Weather box <!--Infobox begins-->
| metric first = 1
| single line  = 1
| width        = 95%
| location     = Tromsø, 1991–2020 normals, (100 m, extremes 1920–present)
<!--Record high temperatures-->| Jan record high C = 8.4
| Feb record high C = 8.5
| Mar record high C = 9.7
| Apr record high C = 17.0
| May record high C = 26.6
| Jun record high C = 29.9
| Jul record high C = 30.2
| Aug record high C = 28.4
| Sep record high C = 23.4
| Oct record high C = 18.6
| Nov record high C = 11.9
| Dec record high C = 9.7
| year record high C = 30.2
<!--Average high temperatures-->| Jan high C = -1.0
| Feb high C = -1.2
| Mar high C = 0.6
| Apr high C = 4.1
| May high C = 8.8
| Jun high C = 13.0
| Jul high C = 16.3
| Aug high C = 15.0
| Sep high C = 10.9
| Oct high C = 5.2
| Nov high C = 2.1
| Dec high C = 0.3
| year high C = <!--Mean daily temperature-->
| Jan mean C = -3.0
| Feb mean C = -3.3
| Mar mean C = -1.9
| Apr mean C = 1.2
| May mean C = 5.5
| Jun mean C = 9.4
| Jul mean C = 12.3
| Aug mean C = 11.3
| Sep mean C = 7.8
| Oct mean C = 3.1
| Nov mean C = 0.2
| Dec mean C = -1.7
| year mean C = <!--Average low temperatures-->
| Jan low C = -5.3
| Feb low C = -5.6
| Mar low C = -4.4
| Apr low C = -1.6
| May low C = 2.4
| Jun low C = 6.2
| Jul low C = 9.0
| Aug low C = 8.3
| Sep low C = 5.3
| Oct low C = 0.9
| Nov low C = -1.9
| Dec low C = -3.9
| year low C = <!--Record low temperatures-->
| Jan record low C = -18.3
| Feb record low C = -18.4
| Mar record low C = -17.0
| Apr record low C = -14.3
| May record low C = -6.6
| Jun record low C = -2.5
| Jul record low C = 0.7
| Aug record low C = 1.1
| Sep record low C = -4.3
| Oct record low C = -9.6
| Nov record low C = -14.2
| Dec record low C = -16.8
| year record low C = <!--Total Precipitation, this should include rain and snow.-->
<!--IMPORTANT: use mm or cm but NOT both!-->| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation mm = 108.3
| Feb precipitation mm = 96.7
| Mar precipitation mm = 96.7
| Apr precipitation mm = 71.1
| May precipitation mm = 56.5
| Jun precipitation mm = 58
| Jul precipitation mm = 72.5
| Aug precipitation mm = 88
| Sep precipitation mm = 111.3
| Oct precipitation mm = 127.4
| Nov precipitation mm = 94.4
| Dec precipitation mm = 109.7
| year precipitation mm = <!--Average number of precipitation days-->
| unit precipitation days = 1&nbsp;mm
| Jan precipitation days = 15.4
| Feb precipitation days = 12.9
| Mar precipitation days = 11.4
| Apr precipitation days = 11.6
| May precipitation days = 11.1
| Jun precipitation days = 10.3
| Jul precipitation days = 12.8
| Aug precipitation days = 12.6
| Sep precipitation days = 14.9
| Oct precipitation days = 17.7
| Nov precipitation days = 13.5
| Dec precipitation days = 15.6
| year precipitation days = 160.1
<!--Average monthly sunshine hours, monthly totals are preferred, and will produce colours, but percentages are accepted.-->| Jan sun = 3
| Feb sun = 36
| Mar sun = 111
| Apr sun = 171
| May sun = 215
| Jun sun = 239
| Jul sun = 226
| Aug sun = 164
| Sep sun = 96
| Oct sun = 55
| Nov sun = 8
| Dec sun = 0
| year sun = 
| Jan light = 1.8
| Feb light = 7.4
| Mar light = 11.8
| Apr light = 16.3
| May light = 22.1
| Jun light = 24
| Jul light = 23.6
| Aug light = 18
| Sep light = 13.3
| Oct light = 8.9
| Nov light = 3.6
| Dec light = 0
| year light = 
| Jan uv = 0
| Feb uv = 0
| Mar uv = 1
| Apr uv = 2
| May uv = 3
| Jun uv = 3
| Jul uv = 3
| Aug uv = 2
| Sep uv = 1
| Oct uv = 0
| Nov uv = 0
| Dec uv = 0
<!--Mandatory fields, source-->| source 1 = [[Norwegian Meteorological Institute|Met Norway]],<ref name="eklima" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=June 2013 |title=Tromsø (Troms) |url=http://www.yr.no/place/Norway/Troms/Troms%C3%B8/Troms%C3%B8_observation_site/statistics.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181214124022/http://www.yr.no/place/Norway/Troms/Troms%C3%B8/Troms%C3%B8_observation_site/statistics.html |archive-date=14 December 2018 |access-date=1 June 2013}}</ref> The Weather Network,<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 2011 |title=Climate Statistics for Tromsø, Norway (1991-2020) |url=http://www.theweathernetwork.com/statistics/c00008 }}{{Dead link|date=September 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Meteostat.net<ref>{{Cite web |title=Climate data |url=https://meteostat.net/en/station/01026/climate |access-date=6 February 2022 |language=en |archive-date=6 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220206115151/https://meteostat.net/en/station/01026/climate |url-status=live }}</ref>
| source 2 = Weather Atlas<ref name="Weather Atlas">{{Cite web |title=Tromsø, Norway - Monthly weather forecast and Climate data |url=https://www.weather-atlas.com/en/norway/tromso-climate |access-date=9 May 2023 |publisher=Weather Atlas |archive-date=24 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124092146/https://www.weather-atlas.com/en/norway/tromso-climate |url-status=live }}</ref> (UV index and daylight hours)
| source = 
}}
The western part of the municipality has islands facing the Norwegian sea, like Rebbenesøya with the Måsvik station. 
{{Weather box|collapsed=yes 
|metric first = yes
|single line  = yes
|width        = 95%
|location = Måsvik, Rebbenesøya, Tromsø 1991–2020 (precipitation from Lyfjord, Kvaløya)
<!-- Mean daily temperature -->
|Jan mean C=-0.2
|Feb mean C=-0.7
|Mar mean C=-0.1
|Apr mean C=2.3
|May mean C=5.7
|Jun mean C=8.9
|Jul mean C=11.8
|Aug mean C=11.6
|Sep mean C=9.3
|Oct mean C=5.3
|Nov mean C=2.6
|Dec mean C=0.9
|year mean C=
<!-- Total precipitation, this should include rain and snow. -->
|precipitation colour=green <!-- Enter "green" for green precipitation colours, remove this line for blue colouring. -->
|Jan precipitation mm=104
|Feb precipitation mm=78
|Mar precipitation mm=76
|Apr precipitation mm=76
|May precipitation mm=47
|Jun precipitation mm=58
|Jul precipitation mm=69
|Aug precipitation mm=91
|Sep precipitation mm=114
|Oct precipitation mm=121
|Nov precipitation mm=93
|Dec precipitation mm=89
|year precipitation mm=
<!-- Mandatory fields, source -->
|source 1= Norwegian Meteorological Institute<ref>{{Cite web |title=Norwegian Meteorological Institute |url=http://sharki.oslo.dnmi.no/portal/page?_pageid=73,39035,73_39080&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128080558/http://sharki.oslo.dnmi.no/portal/page?_pageid=73,39035,73_39080&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL |archive-date=28 January 2021 |access-date=30 January 2021}}</ref>
}}

{{Weather box <!--Infobox begins-->
|metric first = 1
|collapsed    = yes
|single line  = 1
|width        = 95%
|location= Tromsø, 2002–2020 averages & extremes
|Jan record high C = 7.2
|Feb record high C = 6.9
|Mar record high C = 8.9
|Apr record high C = 17.0
|May record high C = 26.6
|Jun record high C = 28.3
|Jul record high C = 29.7
|Aug record high C = 26.3
|Sep record high C = 21.7
|Oct record high C = 18.6
|Nov record high C = 11.7
|Dec record high C = 9.5
|year record high C = 29.7
|Jan avg record high C = 5.0
|Feb avg record high C = 5.2
|Mar avg record high C = 5.6
|Apr avg record high C = 11.3
|May avg record high C = 18.4
|Jun avg record high C = 21.3
|Jul avg record high C = 24.8
|Aug avg record high C = 22.9
|Sep avg record high C = 17.7
|Oct avg record high C = 12.0
|Nov avg record high C = 7.8
|Dec avg record high C = 6.4
|year avg record high C = 25.3
|Jan high C = -1.8
|Feb high C = -1.3
|Mar high C = 0.5
|Apr high C = 4.7
|May high C = 9.5
|Jun high C = 12.6
|Jul high C = 16.5
|Aug high C = 15.0
|Sep high C = 11.0
|Oct high C = 5.4
|Nov high C = 1.9
|Dec high C = 0.2
|year high C = 
|Jan mean C = -3.4
|Feb mean C = -3.1
|Mar mean C = -1.8
|Apr mean C = 1.9
|May mean C = 6.3
|Jun mean C = 9.5
|Jul mean C = 13.0
|Aug mean C = 11.9
|Sep mean C = 8.4
|Oct mean C = 3.5
|Nov mean C = 0.5
|Dec mean C = -1.4
|year mean C = 
|Jan low C = -4.9
|Feb low C = -4.9
|Mar low C = -4.0
|Apr low C = -0.9
|May low C = 3.1
|Jun low C = 6.3
|Jul low C = 9.4
|Aug low C = 8.7
|Sep low C = 5.8
|Oct low C = 1.6
|Nov low C = -0.9
|Dec low C = -2.9
|year low C = 
|Jan avg record low C = -11.7
|Feb avg record low C = -12.0
|Mar avg record low C = -10.2
|Apr avg record low C = -7.3
|May avg record low C = -1.7
|Jun avg record low C = 1.8
|Jul avg record low C = 5.6
|Aug avg record low C = 3.8
|Sep avg record low C = 0.5
|Oct avg record low C = -4.4
|Nov avg record low C = -7.0
|Dec avg record low C = -8.9
|year avg record low C = -13.6
|Jan record low C = -15.2
|Feb record low C = -18.3
|Mar record low C = -13.1
|Apr record low C = -11.4
|May record low C = -4.1
|Jun record low C = 0.1
|Jul record low C = 3.2
|Aug record low C = 1.1
|Sep record low C = -1.6
|Oct record low C = -8.0
|Nov record low C = -11.4
|Dec record low C = -13.5
|year record low C = 
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 89.0
|Feb precipitation mm = 95.6
|Mar precipitation mm = 108.2
|Apr precipitation mm = 73.2
|May precipitation mm = 56.1
|Jun precipitation mm = 63.8
|Jul precipitation mm = 74.3
|Aug precipitation mm = 82.9
|Sep precipitation mm = 114.3
|Oct precipitation mm = 113.2
|Nov precipitation mm = 88.4
|Dec precipitation mm = 109.1
|year precipitation mm = 
|Jan snow depth cm = 68
|Feb snow depth cm = 89
|Mar snow depth cm = 104
|Apr snow depth cm = 100
|May snow depth cm = 37
|Jun snow depth cm = 0
|Jul snow depth cm = 0
|Aug snow depth cm = 0
|Sep snow depth cm = 0
|Oct snow depth cm = 18
|Nov snow depth cm = 35
|Dec snow depth cm = 47
|year snow depth cm = 114
|source 1= Météo climat stats<ref>{{Cite web |title=Moyennes 1981-2010 Norvége |url=http://meteo-climat-bzh.dyndns.org/listenormale-1981-2010-2-p159.php |access-date=21 January 2021 |language=fr |archive-date=9 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200809133123/http://meteo-climat-bzh.dyndns.org/listenormale-1981-2010-2-p159.php |url-status=live }}</ref>
}}

{|style="width:95%;text-align:center;line-height:1.2em;" class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
|-
!Colspan=14|Climatic data for Tromsø
|-
!Month
!Jan
!Feb
!Mar
!Apr
!May
!Jun
!Jul
!Aug
!Sep
!Oct
!Nov
!Dec
!style="border-left-width:medium"|Year
|-
!Average sea temperature °C (°F)
| style="background:#4e4eff; color:#fff;"|5.2<br />(41.4)
| style="background:#4545ff; color:#fff;"|4.6<br />(40.3)
| style="background:#3f3fff; color:#fff;"|4.2<br />(39.5)
| style="background:#4545ff; color:#fff;"|4.6<br />(40.3)
| style="background:#5d5dff; color:#fff;"|6.2<br />(43.1)
| style="background:#8484ff; color:#000;"|8.8<br />(47.8)
| style="background:#a2a2ff; color:#000;"|10.8<br />(51.4)
| style="background:#a9a9ff; color:#000;"|11.3<br />(52.4)
| style="background:#9797ff; color:#000;"|10.1<br />(50.3)
| style="background:#7c7cff; color:#000;"|8.3<br />(47.0)
| style="background:#7171ff; color:#000;"|7.6<br />(45.6)
| style="background:#6060ff; color:#fff;"|6.4<br />(43.6)
| style="background:#6e6eff; color:#000; border-left-width:medium;"|7.3<br />(45.2)
|-
!Colspan=14 style="background:#f8f9fa;font-weight:normal;font-size:95%;"|Source: Weather Atlas<ref name="Weather Atlas" />
|}
<!--Infobox ends-->

===Light and darkness===
[[File:Citycamp Guesthouse Hostel.jpg|thumb|alt=The Northern Lights in Tromsø|Northern lights in Tromsø]]
[[File:Tromssa and mountains in midnight sun.jpg|thumb|alt=Tromsø in midnight sun in July|Tromsø in midnight sun in July]]
The [[midnight sun]] occurs from about 18 May to 26 July, but mountains block the view of it for a few days, meaning that one can see the midnight sun from about 21 May to 21 July. Owing to Tromsø's high latitude, twilight is long, meaning there is no true night between March 27 and September 17.

The sun remains below the horizon during the [[polar night]] from about 26 November to 15 January, but due to the mountains, the sun is not visible from 21 November to 21 January. The return of the sun is an occasion for celebration. However, because of the twilight, there is some daylight for a couple of hours even around midwinter, often with bluish light, allowing for normal day/night cycles during the winter. The nights shorten quickly. By 21 February, the sun is above the horizon from 7:45 am to 4:10 pm and, by 1 April, is above the horizon from 5:50 am to 7:50 pm (daylight saving time). However, if one were to include astronomical twilight as "not night", then Tromsø only has 13 hours and 32 minutes of night on the winter solstice.

The combination of snow cover and sunshine often creates intense light conditions from late February until the snow melts in the lowland (usually late April), and [[sunglasses]] are essential when [[skiing]]. Because of these diametrically different light conditions in winter, Norwegians often divide it into two seasons: ''Mørketid'' (polar night) and ''Seinvinter'' (late winter).

It is possible to observe the [[Aurora (astronomy)|aurora borealis]] (northern lights) from Tromsø, as northern Norway is located in the auroral zone. As it is always light in the summer, no aurora is visible between late April and mid August. Additionally, due to the coastal location, Tromsø is often subject to cloudy conditions, which prevent aurorae being seen, even if they are present.

===Villages===
The Tromsø municipality includes these villages:
{| class="wikitable"
|+ <!--- The table's caption --->
|-
![[Kvaløya (Tromsø)|Kvaløya]]!![[Tromsøya]]<br/>[[Tromsø (city)]]!!Mainland
|- valign="top"
|
* [[Brensholmen]]
* [[Ersfjordbotn]]
* [[Kaldfjord]]
* [[Kjosen, Tromsø|Kjosen]]
* [[Sandneshamn]]
* [[Sommarøya]]
* [[Kvaløysletta]]
|
* [[Bjerkaker]]
* Hamna
* [[Skattøra]]
|
* [[Tromsdalen]]
* [[Breivikeidet]]
* [[Kroken, Troms|Kroken]]
* [[Jøvika]]
* [[Lakselvbukt]]
* [[Oldervik, Troms|Oldervik]]
* [[Movik]]
* [[Ramfjordnes]]
* [[Sjursnes]]
|}