Nasjonal sykkelrute 3 (Røldal - Hjelmeland): which way and when to ride
The best month for Nasjonal sykkelrute 3 (Røldal - Hjelmeland) is June: 53% of days were dry with highs of 10–30 °C. In June the wind barely favours either direction — on average 2.0 km/h along the route (ERA5 2006–2025, daytime 9:00–18:00).
Weather by month
| Month | Good days | Rain days ≥ 1 mm | Rain, mm | Avg high | Days ≥ 30 °C | Days < 10 °C | Daylight, h |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 0% | 48% | 256 | -1 °C | 0% | 100% | 6.8 † |
| February | 0% | 43% | 207 | 0 °C | 0% | 100% | 9.1 † |
| March | 1% | 41% | 178 | 2 °C | 0% | 99% | 11.6 |
| April | 14% | 36% | 127 | 6 °C | 0% | 85% | 14.4 |
| May | 36% | 39% | 125 | 10 °C | 0% | 53% | 17.0 |
| June | 53% | 43% | 134 | 15 °C | 0% | 15% | 18.6 |
| July | 46% | 53% | 172 | 16 °C | 0% | 6% | 17.9 |
| August | 48% | 51% | 198 | 15 °C | 0% | 5% | 15.5 |
| September | 44% | 48% | 224 | 12 °C | 0% | 25% | 12.7 |
| October | 13% | 48% | 254 | 8 °C | 0% | 74% | 10.0 † |
| November | 1% | 44% | 244 | 3 °C | 0% | 96% | 7.5 † |
| December | 0% | 48% | 299 | 1 °C | 0% | 100% | 6.1 † |
Best months are all months within 3 percentage points of the best one. † less than 11 hours of daylight — long stages get tight.
Wind by month
| Month | Wind near Sauda → Hjelmelandsvågen, km/h | Headwind > 15 km/h, near Sauda → Hjelmelandsvågen | Headwind > 15 km/h, Hjelmelandsvågen → near Sauda | Better way |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | −0.5 | 4% | 2% | either |
| February | −0.4 | 3% | 1% | either |
| March | −0.7 | 2% | 1% | either |
| April | −0.5 | 1% | 1% | either |
| May | −0.6 | 2% | 1% | either |
| June | −2.0 | 1% | 1% | either |
| July | −2.3 | 1% | 1% | Hjelmelandsvågen → near Sauda |
| August | −2.7 | 2% | 1% | Hjelmelandsvågen → near Sauda |
| September | −2.3 | 3% | 1% | Hjelmelandsvågen → near Sauda |
| October | −1.5 | 4% | 1% | either |
| November | −0.4 | 3% | 1% | either |
| December | −1.0 | 4% | 1% | either |
Along the route (sections of about 25 km)
| km | Heading | Tailwind in June, km/h |
|---|---|---|
| 0–25 | SW | −3.6 |
| 25–50 | SW | −3.6 |
| 50–75 | SW | −2.7 |
| 75–101 | SE | +3.4 |
| 101–116 | SW | −4.2 |
How to read the numbers
Wind is the 10 m wind of a 25-km grid cell, daytime hours 9:00–18:00 local solar time; at saddle height in a sheltered valley it is weaker, on a coast or ridge stronger. A positive value is a tailwind. ERA5 slightly over-counts days with ≥ 1 mm of rain (by about 5–7 percentage points) and underestimates daily highs by 1–2 °C. Good day = less than 1 mm of rain between 9:00 and 18:00 (riding hours, local solar time) and a high between 10 and 30 °C; rain at night or in the evening does not spoil it.