, with very cold winters, during which the temperature is usually below freezing, and quite mild summers.
Sisimiut (in Danish Holsteinsborg) is a town of 5,400 inhabitants (the second largest after the capital), located in western Greenland, in the municipality of Qeqqata, on the coast of Davis Strait, at almost 67 degrees north latitude.
is not abundant, since it amounts to 550 millimeters (21.5 inches) per year, and has a minimum from February to June and a maximum from August to November. In winter it almost always occurs in the form of snow, in spring and autumn there are alternating rain and snow, while in summer, at least in July and August, rainfall prevails.
is long, in fact the average temperature is below freezing from November to April. The average temperature in February, the coldest month, is -12.5 °C (9.5 °F).
. Snowfall is frequent, and can sometimes be heavy.
, the temperature drops every year below -20 °C (-4 °F), and occasionally below -30 °C (-22 °F). The coldest record is -43.5 °C (-46.3 °F), set in January 1984. In that particularly cold winter, the daily average was -25.4 °C (-13.7 °F) in January and -29.3 °C (-20.7 °F) in February.
is quite mild. The average temperature is above freezing even at night four months in a year, but since the daily average does not exceed 10 °C (50 °F) in any month, the climate is considered as polar. The average in July and August is around 8.5 °C (47.5 °F).
In July and August, rainfall is quite frequent, and these are the only months in which it almost never snows. In June and September, on the other hand, it can sometimes snow.
, one to three days long, during which the temperature can reach or exceed 20 °C (68 °F). The highest record is 23.5 °C (74.3 °F), set in July 2009.
is always very cold, and on colder periods it can freeze, more likely in February and March (we recall that the sea, being salty, freezes at about -2 °C or 28.5 °F).
, even though we are just north of the Arctic Circle, due to the phenomenon of refraction, the sun rises even on the shortest days of the year. To be more precise, on the days of the winter solstice, that is, December 21 or 22, the sun is on the horizon at midday, and the day lasts just over an hour and a half.
, during which the sun never sets, goes from June 2 to July 9. The
, in which it is not completely dark all night, occur before and after this period, from April 19 to August 23.
. Here are the average temperatures.
January is generally a freezing cold month. The average temperature is of
-10.9 °C, with a minimum of
-13.9 °C and a maximum of
-8 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-21.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-32.1 °C in January 1995.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
4 °C. However, it reached
11.4 °C in January 1997.
Precipitation amounts to
48.8 mm, distributed over 10 days.
The day lasts on average 4 hours and 10 minutes. So the days are short.
There are on average 0 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 3% of the time.
The average humidity is 82%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
14.3 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
0.1 °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
-12.4 °C, with a minimum of
-15.7 °C and a maximum of
-9.1 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-24.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-32.9 °C in February 1998.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
3 °C. However, it reached
12 °C in February 2005.
Precipitation amounts to
29.9 mm, distributed over 7 days.
The day lasts on average 8 hours and 10 minutes.
There are on average 2 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 23% of the time.
The average humidity is 81%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
11.2 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
-0.1 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
March is generally a freezing cold month. The average temperature is of
-11 °C, with a minimum of
-14.7 °C and a maximum of
-7.3 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-24 °C. However, it dropped to
-33.7 °C in March 1997.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
4 °C. However, it reached
14.7 °C in March 2006.
Precipitation amounts to
31.5 mm, distributed over 6 days.
The day lasts on average 11 hours and 55 minutes.
There are on average 4.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 39% of the time.
The average humidity is 78%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
10.9 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
-0.1 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
April is generally a very cold month. The average temperature is of
-4.8 °C, with a minimum of
-8.2 °C and a maximum of
-1.3 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-16.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-22.5 °C in April 1997.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
7 °C. However, it reached
13.3 °C in April 2019.
Precipitation amounts to
32 mm, distributed over 6 days.
The day lasts on average 15 hours and 50 minutes.
There are on average 6.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 41% of the time.
The average humidity is 80%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
10.3 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
0.6 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
May is generally a cold month. The average temperature is of
1.5 °C, with a minimum of
-1.8 °C and a maximum of
4.8 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-7.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-16.5 °C in May 1992.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
12.5 °C. However, it reached
20.4 °C in May 2010.
Precipitation amounts to
30.3 mm, distributed over 6 days.
The day lasts on average 20 hours and 10 minutes. So the days are very long.
There are on average 7.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 36% of the time.
The average humidity is 82%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
13.8 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
1.9 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
June is generally a quite cold month. The average temperature is of
6.5 °C, with a minimum of
2.5 °C and a maximum of
10.5 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-1 °C. However, it dropped to
-2.4 °C in June 1991.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
18.5 °C. However, it reached
21.9 °C in June 2012.
Precipitation amounts to
25.1 mm, distributed over 6 days.
The day lasts on average 24 hours. So the sun is always above the horizon.
There are on average 8 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 33% of the time.
The average humidity is 84%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
11.3 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
3.6 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
July, the least cold month of the year, is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
8.7 °C, with a minimum of
4.6 °C and a maximum of
12.8 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
1.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-2.5 °C in July 1992.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
19.5 °C. However, it reached
23.5 °C in July 2009.
Precipitation amounts to
51.6 mm, distributed over 7 days.
The day lasts on average 21 hours and 40 minutes. So the days are very long.
There are on average 8.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 38% of the time.
The average humidity is 84%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
9.5 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
5.2 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
August is generally a quite mild month. The average temperature is of
8.3 °C, with a minimum of
5 °C and a maximum of
11.7 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
2 °C. However, it dropped to
0.2 °C in August 1996.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
18.5 °C. However, it reached
23.3 °C in August 2003.
Precipitation amounts to
62.4 mm, distributed over 8 days.
The day lasts on average 16 hours and 50 minutes. So the days are long.
There are on average 6 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 34% of the time.
The average humidity is 84%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
10.4 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
5.1 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
September is generally a quite cold month. The average temperature is of
4.6 °C, with a minimum of
1.9 °C and a maximum of
7.4 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-2 °C. However, it dropped to
-6.4 °C in September 1997.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
13 °C. However, it reached
19.1 °C in September 2003.
Precipitation amounts to
60.5 mm, distributed over 10 days.
The day lasts on average 13 hours and 0 minutes.
There are on average 4.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 35% of the time.
The average humidity is 79%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
11.2 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
4.2 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
October is generally a very cold month. The average temperature is of
-0.3 °C, with a minimum of
-2.9 °C and a maximum of
2.2 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-9 °C. However, it dropped to
-12.8 °C in October 1996.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
9 °C. However, it reached
18.4 °C in October 2010.
Precipitation amounts to
62.4 mm, distributed over 9 days.
The day lasts on average 9 hours and 10 minutes.
There are on average 2.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 26% of the time.
The average humidity is 78%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
12.9 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
2.5 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
November is generally a very cold month. The average temperature is of
-4.8 °C, with a minimum of
-7.4 °C and a maximum of
-2.2 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-14 °C. However, it dropped to
-19.4 °C in November 1993.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
7.5 °C. However, it reached
16.3 °C in November 2005.
Precipitation amounts to
62.4 mm, distributed over 12 days.
The day lasts on average 5 hours and 20 minutes. So the days are short.
There are on average 0.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 12% of the time.
The average humidity is 76%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
13.2 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
1.1 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
December is generally a freezing cold month. The average temperature is of
-7.8 °C, with a minimum of
-10.5 °C and a maximum of
-5 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-17.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-24.2 °C in December 1994.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
4.5 °C. However, it reached
9.6 °C in December 2020.
Precipitation amounts to
55.7 mm, distributed over 12 days.
The day lasts on average 2 hours and 5 minutes. So the days are very short. December 21, the winter solstice, is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
There are on average 0 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 0% of the time.
The average humidity is 78%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
14.3 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
0.5 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.