, although with maritime influences, with very cold winters, during which the temperature is a few degrees below freezing, and mild summers.
Narsarsuaq is a village of 125 inhabitants, located in the far south of Greenland, in the municipality of Kujalleq, inside the Tunulliarfik Fjord, about 60 km (37 mi) inland from the coast (where Qaqortoq is located), and at 61 degrees north latitude.
Further south are the settlement of Narsaq, Lake Tasersuaq, and the church of Hvalsey.
area, the location inside a fjord protects it from the storms typical of the southern coast of Greenland.
Around this relatively mild climate area is the Greenland ice cap, from which ice tongues descend into the fjords and carry the ice, which splits into
is moderate, since it amounts to 610 millimeters (24 inches) per year (in Qaqortoq, which is closer to the coast, it is more abundant), with a maximum from August to November.
is cold, but it is significantly less cold and long than in the central-northern part of Greenland. The average temperature in February is around -7 °C (19.5 °F).
The average temperature is below freezing even during the day from December to March, however, it can sometimes exceed this valuse, and it can rain even in this season. On the other hand, the humidity is high and the wind blows often. Sometimes snowfall can be heavy.
, the temperature drops below -20 °C (-4 °F) almost every year. The coldest record is -39.8 °C (-39.6 °F), set in January 1984. In January 1983, the daily average was -19.5 °C (-3.1 °F).
, from June to August, is mild. We are in one of the few areas of Greenland where the average temperature of the warmest month exceeds, albeit slightly, 10 °C (50 °F), so the climate is considered subarctic rather than polar. The average in July is 11 °C (52 °F).
These temperatures allow for the cultivation of some tree species, in fact near the village there is the
Rainfall is quite frequent, and it practically never snows, except occasionally in the first half of June.
, during which the temperature can reach or exceed 20 °C (68 °F), and unlike on the coast, this happens every year. The highest record is 24.8 °C (76.6 °F), set at the end of May 2012.
is always very cold, however, it reaches around 0°C (32 °F) at the end of winter (remember that the sea, being salty, freezes at about -2 °C or 28.5 °F).
, since we are south of the Arctic Circle, the sun rises even on the shortest days of the year, and sets on the longest.
However, due to the time zone adopted, on the days of the summer solstice, around June 21, the sun sets twenty minutes before midnight. The
, in which it is not completely dark all night, occur from May 7 to August 5.
. Here are the average temperatures.
January is generally a freezing cold month. The average temperature is of
-6.3 °C, with a minimum of
-10.5 °C and a maximum of
-2.1 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-21.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-32.2 °C in January 2000.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
9 °C. However, it reached
14.3 °C in January 2000.
Precipitation amounts to
40 mm, distributed over 7 days.
The day lasts on average 6 hours and 35 minutes. So the days are short.
There is an average of 1 hour of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 13% of the time.
The average humidity is 57%.
The average wind speed is of
18.4 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
1.1 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
February, the coldest month of the year, is generally a freezing cold month. The average temperature is of
-6.8 °C, with a minimum of
-11.1 °C and a maximum of
-2.6 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-21.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-32 °C in February 1993.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
8.5 °C. However, it reached
15.4 °C in February 2005.
Precipitation amounts to
52.3 mm, distributed over 6 days.
The day lasts on average 9 hours and 5 minutes.
There are on average 2.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 26% of the time.
The average humidity is 58%.
The average wind speed is of
18.2 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
0.4 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
March is generally a very cold month. The average temperature is of
-4.9 °C, with a minimum of
-9.1 °C and a maximum of
-0.7 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-19.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-29.2 °C in March 1995.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
9.5 °C. However, it reached
16.6 °C in March 2006.
Precipitation amounts to
37.1 mm, distributed over 6 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 0 minutes.
There are on average 4.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 37% of the time.
The average humidity is 58%.
The average wind speed is of
15.9 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
0.2 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
April is generally a cold month. The average temperature is of
1.2 °C, with a minimum of
-2.6 °C and a maximum of
4.9 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-10.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-17.6 °C in April 1997.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
13 °C. However, it reached
18.8 °C in April 2012.
Precipitation amounts to
44.7 mm, distributed over 6 days.
The day lasts on average 14 hours and 55 minutes.
There are on average 5.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 38% of the time.
The average humidity is 57%.
The average wind speed is of
16.1 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
0.4 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
May is generally a quite cold month. The average temperature is of
5.8 °C, with a minimum of
1.6 °C and a maximum of
10 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-3.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-13.3 °C in May 1993.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
17 °C. However, it reached
24.8 °C in May 2012.
Precipitation amounts to
32.8 mm, distributed over 6 days.
The day lasts on average 17 hours and 35 minutes. So the days are very long.
There are on average 5.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 32% of the time.
The average humidity is 56%.
The average wind speed is of
16.1 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
1.2 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
June is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
9.6 °C, with a minimum of
5.1 °C and a maximum of
14 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
1.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-2.8 °C in June 1992.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
20.5 °C. However, it reached
22.6 °C in June 2002.
Precipitation amounts to
44.8 mm, distributed over 6 days.
The day lasts on average 19 hours and 10 minutes. So the days are very long. June 21, the summer solstice, is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
There are on average 6 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 32% of the time.
The average humidity is 60%.
The average wind speed is of
15.2 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
2.6 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
July, the warmest month of the year, is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
11.2 °C, with a minimum of
6.7 °C and a maximum of
15.7 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
3.5 °C. However, it dropped to
0 °C in July 2004.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
21 °C. However, it reached
23.6 °C in July 2012.
Precipitation amounts to
49.8 mm, distributed over 7 days.
The day lasts on average 18 hours and 10 minutes. So the days are very long.
There are on average 6 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 34% of the time.
The average humidity is 64%.
The average wind speed is of
13 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
4.3 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
August is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
10 °C, with a minimum of
5.8 °C and a maximum of
14.1 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
2.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-0.1 °C in August 2005.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
20 °C. However, it reached
23.7 °C in August 2006.
Precipitation amounts to
66.3 mm, distributed over 8 days.
The day lasts on average 15 hours and 35 minutes. So the days are long.
There are on average 5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 32% of the time.
The average humidity is 69%.
The average wind speed is of
11.6 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
4.7 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
September is generally a quite cold month. The average temperature is of
6.1 °C, with a minimum of
2.3 °C and a maximum of
9.9 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-2.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-4.9 °C in September 2009.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
16.5 °C. However, it reached
22.4 °C in September 2017.
Precipitation amounts to
80.2 mm, distributed over 9 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 50 minutes.
There are on average 4.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 35% of the time.
The average humidity is 65%.
The average wind speed is of
12.4 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
3.8 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
October is generally a cold month. The average temperature is of
1.5 °C, with a minimum of
-2 °C and a maximum of
5.1 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-9 °C. However, it dropped to
-17.6 °C in October 2020.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
14 °C. However, it reached
18.7 °C in October 1994.
Precipitation amounts to
56.7 mm, distributed over 6 days.
The day lasts on average 9 hours and 55 minutes.
There are on average 3 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 31% of the time.
The average humidity is 62%.
The average wind speed is of
12.3 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
2.9 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
November is generally a very cold month. The average temperature is of
-3.4 °C, with a minimum of
-7.3 °C and a maximum of
0.4 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-17 °C. However, it dropped to
-30.3 °C in November 2015.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
12 °C. However, it reached
18.5 °C in November 1999.
Precipitation amounts to
68.2 mm, distributed over 8 days.
The day lasts on average 7 hours and 10 minutes. So the days are short.
There are on average 1.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 20% of the time.
The average humidity is 63%.
The average wind speed is of
13.6 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
2.1 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
December is generally a freezing cold month. The average temperature is of
-5.7 °C, with a minimum of
-9.8 °C and a maximum of
-1.6 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-19.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-30.7 °C in December 2015.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
9.5 °C. However, it reached
15.5 °C in December 2001.
Precipitation amounts to
39.5 mm, distributed over 6 days.
The day lasts on average 5 hours and 35 minutes. So the days are short. December 21, the winter solstice, is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
There are on average 0.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 10% of the time.
The average humidity is 59%.
The average wind speed is of
15.8 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
1.5 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.