, although with maritime influences, with very cold winters, during which the temperature is a few degrees below freezing, and quite mild summers.
The average daily temperature is above freezing even at night for six months of the year, from May to October, but since the daily average does not exceed 10 °C (50 °F) in any month, the climate is considered as polar.
Qaqortoq (Danish: Julianehåb) is a town of 3,000 inhabitants, located in the extreme south of Greenland (the largest in this area), in the municipality of Kujalleq, on the coast, at 60 degrees north latitude (about the same as cities like Anchorage, Alaska, Oslo, Norway, and Helsinki, Finland).
In this southernmost part of Greenland, as well as around the capital, Nuuk, there are remains of
settlements. About 20 km (12 mi) northeast of Qaqortoq is the church of Hvalsey, built around 1300, in the Medieval Warm Period, during which the temperature was more or less the same as today.
is moderate, since it amounts to 970 millimeters (38 inches) per year, 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 -5 °C (23 °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 -15 °C (5 °F) almost every year. The coldest record is -30 °C (-22 °F), set in January 1984. In January 1983, the daily average was -15.8 °C (3.6 °F).
, from June to August, is quite mild. The average in July and August is almost 9 °C (48 °F).
Rainfall is quite frequent, and it practically never snows, except occasionally in the first half of June.
, from one to three days, during which the temperature can reach or exceed 20 °C (68 °F). The highest record is 23 °C (73.5 °F), set in August 2003.
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 9 to August 3.
. Here are the average temperatures.
January is generally a very cold month. The average temperature is of
-4.7 °C, with a minimum of
-7.7 °C and a maximum of
-1.8 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-16 °C. However, it dropped to
-24.2 °C in January 1993.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
7 °C. However, it reached
11.4 °C in January 2009.
Precipitation amounts to
75.6 mm, distributed over 10 days.
The day lasts on average 6 hours and 40 minutes. So the days are short.
The average humidity is 71%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
17.3 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
-5.1 °C, with a minimum of
-8.1 °C and a maximum of
-2.1 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-16 °C. However, it dropped to
-23.9 °C in February 1993.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
6.5 °C. However, it reached
12 °C in February 2010.
Precipitation amounts to
77.7 mm, distributed over 10 days.
The day lasts on average 9 hours and 10 minutes.
The average humidity is 71%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
18.1 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
-3.7 °C, with a minimum of
-6.9 °C and a maximum of
-0.6 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-16 °C. However, it dropped to
-23.7 °C in March 1993.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
7.5 °C. However, it reached
12.5 °C in March 2006.
Precipitation amounts to
63.8 mm, distributed over 8 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 0 minutes.
The average humidity is 71%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
14.1 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
0.8 °C, with a minimum of
-2.2 °C and a maximum of
3.8 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-9 °C. However, it dropped to
-14.6 °C in April 2011.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
10 °C. However, it reached
13.7 °C in April 2016.
Precipitation amounts to
66.7 mm, distributed over 7 days.
The day lasts on average 14 hours and 50 minutes.
The average humidity is 72%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
12.9 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
4 °C, with a minimum of
0.7 °C and a maximum of
7.3 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-3.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-10.6 °C in May 1992.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
13.5 °C. However, it reached
21.8 °C in May 2012.
Precipitation amounts to
58.3 mm, distributed over 7 days.
The day lasts on average 17 hours and 30 minutes. So the days are very long.
The average humidity is 76%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
11 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
1.2 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
June is generally a quite mild month. The average temperature is of
6.7 °C, with a minimum of
3.2 °C and a maximum of
10.3 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-1 °C. However, it dropped to
-4 °C in June 1992.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
16.5 °C. However, it reached
19.9 °C in June 2014.
Precipitation amounts to
69.3 mm, distributed over 8 days.
The day lasts on average 19 hours and 0 minutes. So the days are very long. June 21, the summer solstice, is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
The average humidity is 79%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
10.1 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
2.6 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
July is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
8.7 °C, with a minimum of
5.1 °C and a maximum of
12.3 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
1 °C. However, it dropped to
-1.2 °C in July 1997.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
18 °C. However, it reached
21.7 °C in July 2008.
Precipitation amounts to
81.6 mm, distributed over 8 days.
The day lasts on average 18 hours and 5 minutes. So the days are very long.
The average humidity is 82%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
8.4 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
4.3 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
August, the least cold month of the year, is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
8.8 °C, with a minimum of
5.8 °C and a maximum of
11.9 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
2 °C. However, it dropped to
-1.4 °C in August 1998.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
17.5 °C. However, it reached
23 °C in August 2003.
Precipitation amounts to
103 mm, distributed over 10 days.
The day lasts on average 15 hours and 30 minutes. So the days are long.
The average humidity is 84%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
8.4 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
6.5 °C, with a minimum of
3.8 °C and a maximum of
9.3 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
0 °C. However, it dropped to
-2.7 °C in September 2009.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
15 °C. However, it reached
21.6 °C in September 2006.
Precipitation amounts to
116.2 mm, distributed over 11 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 40 minutes.
The average humidity is 78%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
10.6 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
2.8 °C, with a minimum of
0.4 °C and a maximum of
5.2 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-5 °C. However, it dropped to
-8.7 °C in October 2015.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
12 °C. However, it reached
17.8 °C in October 2007.
Precipitation amounts to
88.8 mm, distributed over 9 days.
The day lasts on average 9 hours and 55 minutes.
The average humidity is 72%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
10.9 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
-1.4 °C, with a minimum of
-3.8 °C and a maximum of
1 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-10.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-16.2 °C in November 1992.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
9.5 °C. However, it reached
13 °C in November 2001.
Precipitation amounts to
100.6 mm, distributed over 10 days.
The day lasts on average 7 hours and 20 minutes. So the days are short.
The average humidity is 74%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
14.2 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
2.1 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
December is generally a very cold month. The average temperature is of
-3.8 °C, with a minimum of
-6.4 °C and a maximum of
-1.1 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-13 °C. However, it dropped to
-20.2 °C in December 1992.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
7.5 °C. However, it reached
13 °C in December 2001.
Precipitation amounts to
70.1 mm, distributed over 9 days.
The day lasts on average 5 hours and 50 minutes. So the days are short. December 21, the winter solstice, is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
The average humidity is 73%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
15.9 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
1.5 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.