▁ ▁The ▁Old ▁Nor se ▁form ▁of ▁the ▁name ▁was ▁V arg ø y . ▁The ▁first ▁element ▁is ▁var gr ▁which ▁means ▁" w olf " ▁and ▁the ▁last ▁element ▁is ▁ ø y ▁which ▁means ▁" is land ". ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁element ▁was ▁later ▁replaced ▁( around ▁ 1 5 0 0 ) ▁with ▁var ð a ▁which ▁means ▁" ca ir n ". ▁ ▁Cl imate ▁ ▁The ▁port ▁of ▁V ard ø , ▁on ▁the ▁Bar ents ▁Sea , ▁remains ▁ice - free ▁all ▁year ▁round ▁thanks ▁to ▁the ▁warm ▁North ▁Atlantic ▁dr ift . ▁V ard ø ▁has ▁a ▁t und ra ▁climate ▁( K ö ppen : ▁E T ), ▁that ▁borders ▁on ▁a ▁sub ar ctic ▁climate ▁( K ö ppen : ▁D fc ). ▁Ex cluding ▁high ▁mountain ▁areas , ▁it ▁is ▁the ▁only ▁town ▁in ▁Norway ▁proper ▁that ▁has ▁a ▁polar ▁climate . ▁As ▁its ▁warm est ▁month ▁does ▁not ▁reach ▁ 1 0   ° C , ▁the ▁minimum ▁temperature ▁required ▁for ▁tree ▁growth , ▁the ▁land ▁is ▁t und ra ▁and ▁is ▁tre eless . ▁The ▁" mid night ▁sun " ▁is ▁above ▁the ▁horizon ▁from ▁ 1 6 ▁May ▁to ▁ 2 9 ▁July , ▁and ▁the ▁period ▁with ▁polar ▁night ▁is ▁slightly ▁shorter ▁from ▁ 2 4 ▁November ▁to ▁ 1 9 ▁January . ▁ ▁G lob us ▁Rad ar ▁Since ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁the ▁town ▁has ▁hous ed ▁a ▁rad ar ▁installation ▁called ▁G lob