Alta vs Ivalo: which is sunnier?
🇳🇴 Norway vs 🇫🇮 Finland · 220 km apart · long-term climate normals (NASA POWER, 2001–2020)
Alta and Ivalo are virtually tied for annual sunshine — about 1,800 vs 1,726 hours a year. Ivalo has the higher Sunshine Score in 2 of 12 months; the other 10 are within 2 points.
Scores are the 0–100 Sunshine Score — sunshine, daytime warmth and dryness in one number, per month.
At a glance
| Alta | Ivalo | |
|---|---|---|
| Sunshine hours / year | 1,800 | 1,726 |
| Sunniest month | July (52/100) | July (56/100) |
| Nov–Feb average score | 0/100 | 0/100 |
| Jun–Aug average score | 39/100 | 44/100 |
| Rain / year | 956 mm | 766 mm |
| Peak midday UV | 3 (moderate) | 3 (moderate) |
Alta vs Ivalo month by month
| Month | Sunshine Score | Day high °C | Rain mm | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alta | Ivalo | Alta | Ivalo | Alta | Ivalo | |
| January | 0 | 0 | -5° | -10° | 61 | 39 |
| February | 0 | 0 | -5° | -9° | 59 | 32 |
| March | 0 | 0 | -1° | -4° | 72 | 34 |
| April | 0 | 0 | 2° | 1° | 59 | 44 |
| May | 0 | 0 | 6° | 8° | 82 | 78 |
| June | 23 | 36 | 12° | 14° | 108 | 95 |
| July | 52 | 56 | 17° | 18° | 111 | 115 |
| August | 41 | 41 | 15° | 15° | 100 | 104 |
| September | 12 | 12 | 10° | 10° | 82 | 76 |
| October | 0 | 0 | 3° | 1° | 82 | 60 |
| November | 0 | 0 | -1° | -5° | 67 | 45 |
| December | 0 | 0 | -3° | -7° | 73 | 44 |
The sunnier month by month: Jan even · Feb even · Mar even · Apr even · May even · Jun Ivalo · Jul Ivalo · Aug even · Sep even · Oct even · Nov even · Dec even.
When to pick which
- November–February: too close to call — Alta averages 0/100, Ivalo 0/100. Alta is the warmer, around -3°C daytime highs vs -8°C. See the winter sun ranking.
- March–May: too close to call — Alta averages 0/100, Ivalo 0/100. Daytime highs are similar (2°C vs 2°C).
- June–August: Ivalo (average score 44/100 vs 39). Daytime highs are similar (15°C vs 16°C).
- September–October: too close to call — Alta averages 6/100, Ivalo 6/100. Daytime highs are similar (7°C vs 6°C).
Full month-by-month guides: Alta weather by month · Ivalo weather by month · Best time to visit Norway · Best time to visit Finland.
More comparisons: Alta vs Harstad/Narvik · Alta vs Tromsø · Alta vs Kittilä · Ivalo vs Murmansk · Ivalo vs Kittilä · all head-to-heads