This joke is sadly true, and explains why we Norwegians are all thrilled that summer’s here, although it’s only about 10?C today… It’s light until 11 pm though! That’s pretty good! I got the joke in email and can’t find it on the web, so I’m generously posting it here:

+15?C
This is the warmest it gets in Norway, so let’s start
here;
The Spanish put on winter coats, hats and mittens.
Norwegians sunbathe.

+10?C
The French desperately try to start the central
heating in their homes.
Norwegians plant flowers in their garden.

+5?C
Italian cars don’t start.
Norwegians cruise around in convertibles with the
top down.

0?C
Water freezes.
The water in the Oslo Fjord thickens slightly.

-5?C
People in California nearly perish from the cold.
Last barbecue of the season in Norway.

-10?C
The British run up the heat in their houses to max.
Norwegians put on a long-sleeved sweater.

-20?C
Australians leave for home, shellshocked.
Norwegians realise that summer has turned to autumn.

-30?C
Greeks die of cold by the thousands and disappear
from the face of the earth.
Norwegians start to dry their laundry indoors.

-40?C
Paris cracks and crumbles into pieces from the cold.
Norwegians stand patiently in line to buy hot dogs.

-50?C
Polar bears evacuate the North Pole.
The Norwegian army postpones their winter manouvres,
waiting for real winter
weather.

-60?C
Santa Claus moves south.
Norwegians are frustrated, as they can no longer
store moonshine outdoors.

-70?C
The Norwegian army commences their winter manouvres

-183?C
Microbes in food die.
Norwegian cows complain that the hands of the
milkers feel cold.

-273?C
All atomic movement ceases.
Norwegians agree: “Shit, today it really feels cold
outside!”

-300?C
Hell freezes over.
Norway wins the Eurovision Song Contest.

5 thoughts on “why norwegians think it’s summertime now

  1. peter

    how nice

  2. Rorschach

    I hate to say it but:
    “-5?CPeople in California nearly perish from the cold. Last barbecue of the season in Norway.”

    This just isn’t true. Being from southern CA I can say with much authority that anything below about 15?C is freezing. Really! You can tell from the winter parkas! Heck, anything below around 65?F for me is time to turn on the heater.

    At -5?C I’m pretty sure all life would stop. I get scared when there’s that white crunchy stuff (frost) on my lawn in the morning. “AAAHH!!! The world must be ending!”

    Wussy you say? Damn straight! That’s why I live in a place where I can drive from the snow to the beach in a matter of a couple of hours!

  3. Anne

    LOL! I notice Canadians are not included in this list – perhaps because we also understand the cold! Although it does get over +30?C in summer here, I’m always grateful to meet others who know how evil freezing rain can be and how life does not actually grind to a halt when it’s -40?C 😉 …

    Are there also lots of babies born in Norway nine months after the coldest winter days?

    And does it really not go over +15?C ? I would have thought it was more like here 😉

  4. torill

    Actually, Norwegian babies are born in February. Spring and early summer is interesting in Norway.

  5. i1277

    It was 26 degrees the other day, so yes, it does get warmer. But here in Bergen at least, 15 is more of a standard. I think we have “London-weather”, only slightly colder and more rain. Temting, eh?

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