AI-generatedIqaluit at a glance
- Best time
- Mar – May
- Warmest month
- Jul · 13°
- Warmest sea
- Aug · 1.2°
- Sunshine a year
- 1,670 h
- Rain a year
- 501 mm
- Climate
- Continental
- Time zone
- UTC−5 / UTC−4
- Elevation
- 14 m
Climate in Iqaluit
Iqaluit has warm to hot summers and cold winters with occasional snow. July is the warmest month with average highs of 13 °C, while February is the coolest at −22 °C. With around 1,670 hours of sunshine a year, Iqaluit is moderately sunny; April is the sunniest month with 7.7 hours a day.
Holiday weather through the year
Weather in October
Holiday weather in October
Poor
Best time to visit: March – May
Keep in mindSnow
A typical day in October
- Morning, 08:00: about -5°
- Midday, 13:00: about -2°
- Afternoon, 16:00: about -2°
- Evening, 20:00: about -4°
- Night, 23:00: about -5°
07:2017:19
Cold evenings: bring a warm jacket.
Estimated from the average high and low: coolest around sunrise, warmest in mid-afternoon.
Light for photos in October
- Golden hour
- Morning 06:50–08:28 · evening 16:11–17:49
- Blue hour
- Morning 06:32–06:50 · evening 17:49–18:07
Golden hour: the sun between 4° below and 6° above the horizon; blue hour: 6° to 4° below it. Times for the 15th of the month; mountains and clouds shift the light.
What is the weather like in Iqaluit in October?
In October, Iqaluit is freezing cold: daytime highs average −2 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−6 °C). The sea averages 0.3 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 3 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 10 days, totalling 50 mm. Snow falls on about 7 days. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Iqaluit.
More details for October
- Daylight
- 10 h 0 min07:20 – 17:19
- UV index
- 1 · lowclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 0 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
- Wind
- 24 km/haverage daily peakAll months
- Cloud cover
- 83 %on averageAll months
- Hot days
- 0 days30 °C or more
- Snow days
- 7 days1 cm or more of fresh snowAll months
- Time zone
- UTC−4America/Iqaluit
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 35 %0 %
- Seaweight 25 %0 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %0 %
- Few rainy daysweight 20 %59 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “Sun, sea & sand”.
What to pack in October
- Warm jacket
- Hat, scarf & gloves
- Rain jacket or umbrella
Sea temperature in Iqaluit
Monthly sea surface temperature with the range of cooler and warmer years.
8 in 10 years: −0.4 – 1.3 °C
Swimming season: Never above 20 °C
- cold
- fresh
- refreshing
- pleasant
- warm
- very warm
The sea temperature in Iqaluit ranges from −1.3 °C in January to 1.2 °C in August. Even at its warmest the sea stays below 20 °C, so swimming is bracing at best.
The sea warms up slowly: it is warmest in August, while the air already peaks in July. From October to April the sea is even warmer than the afternoon air. The sea temperature varies from year to year: in August, eight out of ten years were between −0.4 and 2.7 °C.
| Month | Average | Cool year | Warm year | Feels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | −1.3° | −1.8° | −0.5° | cold |
| FebruaryFeb | −1.1° | −1.8° | 0.3° | cold |
| MarchMar | −0.9° | −1.8° | 0.9° | cold |
| AprilApr | −0.8° | −1.7° | 0.6° | cold |
| MayMay | −0.6° | −1.5° | 0.8° | cold |
| JuneJun | 0.0° | −1.3° | 1.0° | cold |
| JulyJul | 0.7° | −0.5° | 2.2° | cold |
| AugustAug | 1.2° | −0.4° | 2.7° | cold |
| SeptemberSep | 0.9° | −0.2° | 2.1° | cold |
| OctoberOct | 0.3° | −0.4° | 1.3° | cold |
| NovemberNov | −0.5° | −1.2° | 0.3° | cold |
| DecemberDec | −1.1° | −1.5° | −0.7° | cold |
Sunshine hours in Iqaluit
Average hours of bright sunshine per day, next to the length of the day. Tap a month to select it.
In October, the sun shines for about 2.7 of 10.0 hours of daylight in Iqaluit, 27 % of the day.
Sunshine hours: estimated from radiation data (ERA5, 1996–2025) and calibrated against measured station values; no weather station is close enough here. Daylight is the time from sunrise to sunset on the 15th of the month.
UV index in Iqaluit
How strong the sun is at noon, month by month, and how quickly unprotected skin burns.
- Clear-sky UV in October
- 1 · lowLittle protection needed; sunglasses on bright days.
The sun is strongest in June (UV 5).
Minutes until sunburn in October
- Very fair skin
- over 2 h
- Fair skin
- over 2 h
- Light brown skin
- over 2 h
- Olive skin
- over 2 h
Rough guide for unprotected skin at noon under a clear sky; clouds lengthen it, water, sand and snow shorten it. Sunscreen extends the time only partly.
Monthly values: clear-sky noon estimate from the sun's angle, ozone and altitude. UV today: Open-Meteo forecast.
Rain in Iqaluit: rainy days and rainfall
A rainy day is a day with at least 1 mm of rain or snow; the amount is what falls in the whole month. Tap a month to select it.
In October, Iqaluit has about 10 rainy days with 50 mm of rain in total.
Wind and clouds in Iqaluit
How breezy and how cloudy Iqaluit is through the year. Tap a month to select it on the whole page.
Wind
Typical daily peak of the wind in km/h: what the afternoon breeze usually reaches, not the gusts.
In October, the wind in Iqaluit typically peaks at 24 km/h during the day: Beaufort 4, moderate breeze.
Breezy months for windsurfing and kiting
From Beaufort 4 (20 km/h) the daily breeze is usually enough for windsurfing and often for kiting, and here it gets there all year.
Clouds
Average share of the sky covered by cloud, day and night.
In October, cloud covers on average 83 % of the sky over Iqaluit: mostly overcast, with about 2.7 hours of sunshine a day.
Wind: mean daily maximum of the hourly wind 10 m above ground (ERA5, 1996–2025). Gusts are stronger, and the model grid of about 28 km smooths out local effects such as capes and valley winds. Clouds: mean total cloud cover of all layers over day and night (ERA5, 1996–2025). Thin high cloud counts as cover even when the sun still shines through.
Snow in Iqaluit
When Iqaluit is likely to be white: the chance of seeing snow during a week's stay, the days with fresh snow and how much falls. Tap a month to select it.
Snow calendar
- hardly any
- possible
- likely
- very likely
In October, Iqaluit has about 7 days with at least 1 cm of fresh snow, 25 cm in total. The chance of seeing snow during a week's stay is 70 out of 100: likely.
Snow days bring at least 1 cm of fresh snow. Fresh snow comes from ERA5 snowfall (1996–2025) at the height of the place, not on the slopes above it; the snow chance also weighs whether the snow settles. An estimate from climate averages, not a snow report.
Climate through the year
Long-term monthly averages. Tap a month to see its details.
Nights and sleep in Iqaluit
How warm the nights get in each month, from the mean night-time low. Tap a month for details.
- Frost below 0°
- Cold 0–8°
FrostOctober: nights around −6°. Heating and warm bedding are a must.
The coolest nights are in February (−28°), the warmest in July (6°). Nights fall below 8 °C on average all year round, so the room should be heated.
Temperatures through the year
Average daytime high, night-time low and sea temperature per month.
| Month | Score | Day | Night | Sea | Sun | Rain days | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 19 | −21° | −27° | −1.3° | 1.5 h | 5 | 16 |
| FebruaryFeb | 23 | −22° | −28° | −1.1° | 3.9 h | 3 | 12 |
| MarchMar | 29 | −16° | −23° | −0.9° | 6.4 h | 5 | 19 |
| AprilApr | 31 | −8° | −14° | −0.8° | 7.7 h | 7 | 26 |
| MayMay | 28 | −1° | −6° | −0.6° | 7.0 h | 8 | 36 |
| JuneJun | 25 | 7° | 1° | 0.0° | 7.0 h | 10 | 59 |
| JulyJul | 25 | 13° | 6° | 0.7° | 7.7 h | 12 | 72 |
| AugustAug | 16 | 11° | 5° | 1.2° | 5.7 h | 13 | 91 |
| SeptemberSep | 11 | 5° | 0° | 0.9° | 3.5 h | 11 | 67 |
| OctoberOct | 12 | −2° | −6° | 0.3° | 2.7 h | 10 | 50 |
| NovemberNov | 15 | −9° | −14° | −0.5° | 1.5 h | 8 | 31 |
| DecemberDec | 17 | −14° | −20° | −1.1° | 0.4 h | 6 | 23 |
Climate averages 1996–2025, not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, WMO 1991–2020 (NOAA NCEI), GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Sources & licences
63.75° N, 68.52° W · 14 m · America/Iqaluit
Best time to visit Iqaluit
The best time to visit Iqaluit is from March to May. The sea stays too cool for a classic beach holiday: even in August it only reaches 1.2 °C. The wettest month is August with 91 mm of precipitation.
Iqaluit through the seasons
How the weather changes over the seasons, with averages for each.
Iqaluit in spring
Mar – May
Poor
- -16–0 °C by day
- Sea −1 °C
- 7 h of sun a day
- 21 rainy days in all
Iqaluit in summer
Jun – Aug
Poor
- 7–13 °C by day
- Sea 1 °C
- 7 h of sun a day
- 35 rainy days in all
Iqaluit in autumn
Sep – Nov
Poor
- -8–5 °C by day
- Sea 0 °C
- 3 h of sun a day
- 28 rainy days in all
Iqaluit in winter
Dec – Feb
Poor
- -22–-14 °C by day
- Sea −1 °C
- 2 h of sun a day
- 15 rainy days in all
Find your perfect month
Tell us what you like and we rate every month in Iqaluit for you.
Your best months: March – May
Based on the climate averages; tap a month to see its details.
Compare two months in Iqaluit
Pick two months to see how the weather differs. A tick marks the clearly better value; for temperatures it depends on your plans.
April has the better holiday weather in Iqaluit: score 31 against 12. In April, days are 7 °C cooler than in October. The sea is 1 °C cooler in April. April has 3 fewer rainy days. The sun shines 5 hours longer a day in April.
| Month | October | April |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 12 | 31better |
| Day high | −1° | −8° |
| Night low | −6° | −14° |
| Sea | 0.3° | −0.8° |
| Sunshine | 2.7 h | 7.7 hbetter |
| Rainy days | 10 | 7better |
| Rainfall | 50 mm | 26 mmbetter |
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Which month for what?
Beach & swimming
No month
Sea from 21 °C, warm and mostly dry
Sightseeing & hiking
No month
15–28 °C and not too much rain
Rainy months
Aug
12 or more rainy days
Snow
Sep – Jun
Snow on 2 or more days
Iqaluit month by month
The typical weather for every month at a glance.
19January-21° · Sea -1° · 2 h
In January, Iqaluit is freezing cold: daytime highs average −21 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−27 °C). The sea averages −1.3 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 2 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 5 days, totalling 16 mm. Snow falls on about 5 days. All in all, January is not an ideal month for a holiday in Iqaluit.
Iqaluit in January23February-22° · Sea -1° · 4 h
In February, Iqaluit is freezing cold: daytime highs average −22 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−28 °C). The sea averages −1.1 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 4 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 3 days, totalling 12 mm. Snow falls on about 4 days. All in all, February is not an ideal month for a holiday in Iqaluit.
Iqaluit in February29March-16° · Sea -1° · 6 h
In March, Iqaluit is freezing cold: daytime highs average −16 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−23 °C). The sea averages −0.9 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 5 days, totalling 19 mm. Snow falls on about 5 days. All in all, March is not an ideal month for a holiday in Iqaluit.
Iqaluit in March31April-8° · Sea -1° · 8 h
In April, Iqaluit is freezing cold: daytime highs average −8 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−14 °C). The sea averages −0.8 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun shines for around 8 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 7 days, totalling 26 mm. Snow falls on about 7 days. All in all, April is not an ideal month for a holiday in Iqaluit.
Iqaluit in April28May0° · Sea -1° · 7 h
In May, Iqaluit is freezing cold: daytime highs average −1 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−6 °C). The sea averages −0.6 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 8 days, totalling 36 mm. Snow falls on about 6 days. All in all, May is not an ideal month for a holiday in Iqaluit.
Iqaluit in May25June7° · Sea 0° · 7 h
In June, Iqaluit is cold: daytime highs average 7 °C, and nights cool down to about 1 °C. The sea averages 0.0 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 10 rainy days and 59 mm in total. Snow falls on about 2 days. All in all, June is not an ideal month for a holiday in Iqaluit.
Iqaluit in June25July13° · Sea 1° · 8 h
In July, Iqaluit is cool: daytime highs average 13 °C, and nights cool down to about 6 °C. The sea averages 0.7 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun shines for around 8 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 12 rainy days and 72 mm in total. All in all, July is not an ideal month for a holiday in Iqaluit.
Iqaluit in July16August11° · Sea 1° · 6 h
In August, Iqaluit is cool: daytime highs average 11 °C, and nights cool down to about 5 °C. The sea averages 1.2 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 13 rainy days and 91 mm in total. All in all, August is not an ideal month for a holiday in Iqaluit.
Iqaluit in August11September5° · Sea 1° · 4 h
In September, Iqaluit is cold: daytime highs average 5 °C, and nights cool down to about 0 °C. The sea averages 0.9 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 4 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 67 mm in total. Snow falls on about 3 days. All in all, September is not an ideal month for a holiday in Iqaluit.
Iqaluit in September12October-1° · Sea 0° · 3 h
In October, Iqaluit is freezing cold: daytime highs average −2 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−6 °C). The sea averages 0.3 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 3 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 10 days, totalling 50 mm. Snow falls on about 7 days. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Iqaluit.
Iqaluit in October15November-8° · Sea 0° · 2 h
In November, Iqaluit is freezing cold: daytime highs average −9 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−14 °C). The sea averages −0.5 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 2 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 8 days, totalling 31 mm. Snow falls on about 8 days. All in all, November is not an ideal month for a holiday in Iqaluit.
Iqaluit in November17December-14° · Sea -1° · 0 h
In December, Iqaluit is freezing cold: daytime highs average −14 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−20 °C). The sea averages −1.1 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 0 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 6 days, totalling 23 mm. Snow falls on about 7 days. All in all, December is not an ideal month for a holiday in Iqaluit.
Iqaluit in DecemberIqaluit compared
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Iqaluit vs. Nuuk
In October the holiday weather in Iqaluit and Nuuk is about equally good (score 12 vs. 11). During the day Nuuk is 2 °C warmer than Iqaluit. The sea in Nuuk is 3 °C warmer.
| in October | Iqaluit | Nuuk |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday score | 12 | 11 |
| Daytime high | -1° | 1° |
| Sea | 0° | 3° |
| Sunshine | 3 h | 3 h |
| Rainy days | 10 | 10 |
| Best time | Mar – May | Jul |
Through the year
Canada in October: the best places
In October, Iqaluit ranks 28 among the 31 nearest destinations in this country.
- Hamilton15°53
- 2Toronto14°52
- 3Niagara-on-the-Lake15°51
- 4Niagara Falls15°51
- 5Halifax14°14°49
- 6Collingwood (Blue Mountains)13°47
- 7Ottawa13°44
- 8Kingston14°44
- 28IqaluitThis page-1°0°12
Planning a trip to Iqaluit
Weather for your travel dates
Pick your arrival and length of stay, and we sum up the weather to expect.
Iqaluit in the school holidays
How the weather suits the usual holiday periods. Dates vary by school and region, so each holiday uses the months it usually falls in.
Iqaluit has its best school-holiday weather during the Easter holidays (score 30) and its weakest during October half-term (score 12).
- 30
Easter holidays
Mar – Apr
PoorBest holidays
- −10 °C by day
- Sea −1 °C
- 7.3 h of sun a day
- 7 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Snow
- 27
May half-term
May – Jun
Poor
- 1 °C by day
- Sea 0 °C
- 7.0 h of sun a day
- 8 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Snow
- 19
Summer holidays
Jul – Aug
Poor
- 11 °C by day
- Sea 1 °C
- 6.4 h of sun a day
- 13 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
- 12
October half-term
Oct
Poor
- −1 °C by day
- Sea 0 °C
- 2.7 h of sun a day
- 10 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Snow
- 18
Christmas holidays
Dec – Jan
Poor
- −18 °C by day
- Sea −1 °C
- 1.0 h of sun a day
- 6 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Snow
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Getting there
Flying from
- Nonstop flight
- about 5 h 25 min
- Distance
- 4,050 km
- Time zone
- UTC−4
- Jet lag
- About 3 days (5 h west)
Rule of thumb for flying west: for a few days before, stay up a little later, and get afternoon and evening light at your destination.
Estimated from the straight-line distance: 30 minutes for take-off and landing plus 830 km/h cruising speed.
Frequently asked questions about Iqaluit
When is the best time to visit Iqaluit?
The best time to visit Iqaluit is from March to May. That is when the holiday weather score, which combines temperature, sea, sunshine and rain, is highest.
How warm is the sea in Iqaluit?
The sea temperature in Iqaluit ranges from −1.3 °C in January to 1.2 °C in August. Even at its warmest the sea stays below 20 °C, so swimming is bracing at best.
Can you swim in Iqaluit in October?
Only if you don't mind cold water: in October the sea averages just 0.3 °C. Comfortable swimming temperatures are not reached at any time of year.
What is the warmest month in Iqaluit?
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 13 °C and nights around 6 °C. February is the coolest month at −22 °C.
When does it rain most in Iqaluit?
The wettest month is August with 91 mm of precipitation. The driest month is February with 12 mm.
How many hours of sunshine does Iqaluit get?
Iqaluit gets around 1,670 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is April with 7.7 hours a day; in December there are 0.4 hours a day.
What time zone is Iqaluit in?
Iqaluit uses the time zone America/Iqaluit: UTC−5 in January and UTC−4 in July.
How long is the flight from London to Iqaluit?
A nonstop flight from London to Iqaluit takes about 5 h 25 min, for a straight-line distance of about 4,050 km.
Which school holidays are best for Iqaluit?
Iqaluit has its best school-holiday weather during the Easter holidays (score 30) and its weakest during October half-term (score 12). Holiday ratings (0–100): Easter holidays 30, May half-term 27, Summer holidays 19, October half-term 12, Christmas holidays 18.
Near Iqaluit
Other destinations close by.
Places with a climate like Iqaluit
Destinations whose weather through the year is closest to Iqaluit's – good alternatives.