Haugesund has a coastline with the North Sea, however, the island of Karmøy and the archipelago Røvær shelter most of the city from the rough waters of the ocean. The sound of Karmsund, located between Karmøy and Haugesund used to be very strategically important, since ships could pass without having to sail through heavy sea. Haugesund's city centre has a distinctive street layout, similar to those found in Kristiansand and Oslo. Haugesund has a typical maritime climate with mild winters, cool but pleasant springs, and mild summers lasting until the end of September. Monthly 24-hr average range from 1.1 °C in February to 14 °C in August. Mean annual precipitation is 1520 mm, with September - December as the wettest period.

The population is 48,987, and with an area of only 73 km², this gives a population density of 489 people per km². As of 2007, Haugesund's agglomeration has a population of 44,183, of which 34,140 live in Haugesund and 10,043 live in Karmøy.[3] The Haugesund Region, a statistical metropolitan area, consisting of the municipalities Karmøy, Haugesund, Tysvær, Sveio and Bokn, has a population of approximately 100.000 as of 2009.

The municipality includes several islands. Risøy and Hasseløy are densely built, and connected to the mainland by bridges. Røvær which lies further out and consists of a number of islands, is also populated and connected to the mainland by ferry. Vibrandsøy and its neighboring islands is now mainly a recreational area.

The Amanda Award (Norwegian: Amandaprisen) is an award given annually at the Norwegian International Film Festival in Haugesund, Norway, to promote and improve Norwegian film. The award originated in 1985, and has since 2005 been exclusively a film award (not television). Winners are awarded a trophy by the Norwegian sculptor Kristian Kvakland, and the name and theme of the sculpture comes from a legendary local woman from the 1920s. The award ceremony is marked every year by a major, nationally televised, event.

Local Weather: