AI-generatedNuuk at a glance
- Best time
- Jul
- Warmest month
- Jul · 11°
- Warmest sea
- Aug · 5.5°
- Sunshine a year
- 1,560 h
- Rain a year
- 804 mm
- Climate
- Continental
- Time zone
- UTC−2 / UTC−1
- Elevation
- 5 m
Climate in Nuuk
Nuuk has warm to hot summers and cold winters with occasional snow. July is the warmest month with average highs of 11 °C, while February is the coolest at −10 °C. With around 1,560 hours of sunshine a year, Nuuk is rather dull; May is the sunniest month with 7.9 hours a day.
Holiday weather through the year
Weather in October
Holiday weather in October
Poor
Best time to visit: July
Keep in mindSnow
A typical day in October
- Morning, 08:00: about -4°
- Midday, 13:00: about 0°
- Afternoon, 16:00: about 1°
- Evening, 20:00: about -1°
- Night, 23:00: about -2°
09:1419:11
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 08:44–10:23 · evening 18:01–19:41
- Blue hour
- Morning 08:25–08:44 · evening 19:41–20:00
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 Nuuk in October?
In October, Nuuk is freezing cold: daytime highs average 1 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−4 °C). The sea averages 2.7 °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 74 mm. Snow falls on about 5 days. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Nuuk.
More details for October
- Daylight
- 9 h 57 min09:14 – 19:11
- UV index
- 1 · lowclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 0 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
- Wind
- 23 km/haverage daily peakAll months
- Cloud cover
- 67 %on averageAll months
- Hot days
- 0 days30 °C or more
- Snow days
- 5 days1 cm or more of fresh snowAll months
- Time zone
- UTC−1America/Nuuk
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 50 %0 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %7 %
- Few rainy daysweight 30 %59 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “City break”.
What to pack in October
- Warm jacket
- Hat, scarf & gloves
- Rain jacket or umbrella
Sea temperature in Nuuk
Monthly sea surface temperature with the range of cooler and warmer years.
8 in 10 years: 1.7 – 3.5 °C
Swimming season: Never above 20 °C
- cold
- fresh
- refreshing
- pleasant
- warm
- very warm
The sea temperature in Nuuk ranges from −0.3 °C in February to 5.5 °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 4.0 and 6.9 °C.
| Month | Average | Cool year | Warm year | Feels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 0.0° | −0.8° | 0.8° | cold |
| FebruaryFeb | −0.3° | −1.0° | 0.5° | cold |
| MarchMar | −0.1° | −1.2° | 0.8° | cold |
| AprilApr | 0.3° | −0.4° | 1.1° | cold |
| MayMay | 1.4° | 0.8° | 2.4° | cold |
| JuneJun | 3.2° | 1.7° | 4.6° | cold |
| JulyJul | 5.1° | 3.3° | 6.9° | cold |
| AugustAug | 5.5° | 4.0° | 6.9° | cold |
| SeptemberSep | 4.1° | 3.2° | 5.0° | cold |
| OctoberOct | 2.7° | 1.7° | 3.5° | cold |
| NovemberNov | 1.6° | 0.9° | 2.2° | cold |
| DecemberDec | 0.8° | 0.1° | 1.7° | cold |
Sunshine hours in Nuuk
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 3.4 of 10.0 hours of daylight in Nuuk, 34 % 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 Nuuk
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 Nuuk: 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, Nuuk has about 10 rainy days with 74 mm of rain in total.
Wind and clouds in Nuuk
How breezy and how cloudy Nuuk 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 Nuuk typically peaks at 23 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 67 % of the sky over Nuuk: mostly cloudy, with about 3.4 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 Nuuk
When Nuuk 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, Nuuk has about 5 days with at least 1 cm of fresh snow, 23 cm in total. The chance of seeing snow during a week's stay is 48 out of 100: possible.
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 Nuuk
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 −4°. Heating and warm bedding are a must.
The coolest nights are in February (−16°), the warmest in July (5°). 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 | 15 | −10° | −15° | 0.0° | 0.8 h | 11 | 62 |
| FebruaryFeb | 20 | −10° | −16° | −0.3° | 2.5 h | 9 | 48 |
| MarchMar | 25 | −7° | −13° | −0.1° | 4.4 h | 8 | 50 |
| AprilApr | 31 | −2° | −7° | 0.3° | 6.2 h | 8 | 59 |
| MayMay | 36 | 3° | −2° | 1.4° | 7.9 h | 9 | 61 |
| JuneJun | 33 | 8° | 3° | 3.2° | 7.3 h | 10 | 71 |
| JulyJul | 47 | 11° | 5° | 5.1° | 6.8 h | 9 | 65 |
| AugustAug | 37 | 11° | 5° | 5.5° | 5.6 h | 11 | 78 |
| SeptemberSep | 20 | 7° | 2° | 4.1° | 4.9 h | 12 | 95 |
| OctoberOct | 19 | 1° | −4° | 2.7° | 3.4 h | 10 | 74 |
| NovemberNov | 14 | −5° | −10° | 1.6° | 1.3 h | 11 | 79 |
| DecemberDec | 15 | −8° | −13° | 0.8° | 0.1 h | 11 | 64 |
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
64.18° N, 51.72° W · 5 m · America/Nuuk
Best time to visit Nuuk
The best time to visit Nuuk is in July. The sea stays too cool for a classic beach holiday: even in August it only reaches 5.5 °C. The wettest month is September with 95 mm of precipitation.
Nuuk through the seasons
How the weather changes over the seasons, with averages for each.
Nuuk in spring
Mar – May
Poor
- -7–3 °C by day
- Sea 1 °C
- 6 h of sun a day
- 25 rainy days in all
Nuuk in summer
Jun – Aug
Poor
- 8–11 °C by day
- Sea 5 °C
- 7 h of sun a day
- 30 rainy days in all
Nuuk in autumn
Sep – Nov
Poor
- -5–7 °C by day
- Sea 3 °C
- 3 h of sun a day
- 33 rainy days in all
Nuuk in winter
Dec – Feb
Poor
- -10–-7 °C by day
- Sea 0 °C
- 1 h of sun a day
- 31 rainy days in all
Find your perfect month
Tell us what you like and we rate every month in Nuuk for you.
Your best months: May – July
Based on the climate averages; tap a month to see its details.
Compare two months in Nuuk
Pick two months to see how the weather differs. A tick marks the clearly better value; for temperatures it depends on your plans.
July has the better holiday weather in Nuuk: score 47 against 19. In July, days are 10 °C warmer than in October. The sea is 2 °C warmer in July. July has one rainy day fewer. The sun shines 3 hours longer a day in July.
| Month | October | July |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 19 | 47better |
| Day high | 1° | 11° |
| Night low | −4° | 5° |
| Sea | 2.7° | 5.1° |
| Sunshine | 3.4 h | 6.8 hbetter |
| Rainy days | 10 | 9better |
| Rainfall | 74 mm | 65 mm |
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
Snow
Oct – May
Snow on 2 or more days
Nuuk month by month
The typical weather for every month at a glance.
15January-9° · Sea 0° · 1 h
In January, Nuuk is freezing cold: daytime highs average −10 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−15 °C). The sea averages 0.0 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 1 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 11 days, totalling 62 mm. Snow falls on about 11 days. All in all, January is not an ideal month for a holiday in Nuuk.
Nuuk in January20February-10° · Sea 0° · 3 h
In February, Nuuk is freezing cold: daytime highs average −10 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−16 °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 9 days, totalling 48 mm. Snow falls on about 9 days. All in all, February is not an ideal month for a holiday in Nuuk.
Nuuk in February25March-7° · Sea 0° · 4 h
In March, Nuuk is freezing cold: daytime highs average −7 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−13 °C). The sea averages −0.1 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 4 hours of sunshine a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 8 days, totalling 50 mm. Snow falls on about 9 days. All in all, March is not an ideal month for a holiday in Nuuk.
Nuuk in March31April-2° · Sea 0° · 6 h
In April, Nuuk is freezing cold: daytime highs average −2 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−7 °C). The sea averages 0.3 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 8 days, totalling 59 mm. Snow falls on about 7 days. All in all, April is not an ideal month for a holiday in Nuuk.
Nuuk in April36May3° · Sea 1° · 8 h
In May, Nuuk is freezing cold: daytime highs average 3 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−2 °C). The sea averages 1.4 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun shines for around 8 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 9 days, totalling 61 mm. Snow falls on about 6 days. All in all, May is not an ideal month for a holiday in Nuuk.
Nuuk in May33June8° · Sea 3° · 7 h
In June, Nuuk is cold: daytime highs average 8 °C, and nights cool down to about 3 °C. The sea averages 3.2 °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 71 mm in total. All in all, June is not an ideal month for a holiday in Nuuk.
Nuuk in June47July11° · Sea 5° · 7 h
In July, Nuuk is cool: daytime highs average 11 °C, and nights cool down to about 5 °C. The sea averages 5.1 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 9 rainy days and 65 mm in total. All in all, July is a so-so month for a holiday in Nuuk.
Nuuk in July37August11° · Sea 6° · 6 h
In August, Nuuk is cool: daytime highs average 11 °C, and nights cool down to about 5 °C. The sea averages 5.5 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 78 mm in total. All in all, August is not an ideal month for a holiday in Nuuk.
Nuuk in August20September7° · Sea 4° · 5 h
In September, Nuuk is cold: daytime highs average 7 °C, and nights cool down to about 2 °C. The sea averages 4.1 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 12 rainy days and 95 mm in total. Snow falls on about 2 days. All in all, September is not an ideal month for a holiday in Nuuk.
Nuuk in September19October1° · Sea 3° · 3 h
In October, Nuuk is freezing cold: daytime highs average 1 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−4 °C). The sea averages 2.7 °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 74 mm. Snow falls on about 5 days. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Nuuk.
Nuuk in October14November-5° · Sea 2° · 1 h
In November, Nuuk is freezing cold: daytime highs average −5 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−10 °C). The sea averages 1.6 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 1 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 11 days, totalling 79 mm. Snow falls on about 9 days. All in all, November is not an ideal month for a holiday in Nuuk.
Nuuk in November15December-7° · Sea 1° · 0 h
In December, Nuuk is freezing cold: daytime highs average −8 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−13 °C). The sea averages 0.8 °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 11 days, totalling 64 mm. Snow falls on about 10 days. All in all, December is not an ideal month for a holiday in Nuuk.
Nuuk in DecemberNuuk compared
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Nuuk vs. Iqaluit
In October the holiday weather in Nuuk and Iqaluit is about equally good (score 19 vs. 17). During the day Iqaluit is 2 °C cooler than Nuuk. The sea in Iqaluit is 3 °C cooler.
| in October | Nuuk | Iqaluit |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday score | 19 | 17 |
| Daytime high | 1° | -1° |
| Sea | 3° | 0° |
| Sunshine | 3 h | 3 h |
| Rainy days | 10 | 10 |
| Best time | Jul | Mar – May |
Through the year
Planning a trip to Nuuk
Weather for your travel dates
Pick your arrival and length of stay, and we sum up the weather to expect.
Nuuk 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.
Nuuk has its best school-holiday weather during the summer holidays (score 41) and its weakest during the Christmas holidays (score 15).
- 29
Easter holidays
Mar – Apr
Poor
- −3 °C by day
- Sea 0 °C
- 5.7 h of sun a day
- 8 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Snow
- 35
May half-term
May – Jun
Poor
- 4 °C by day
- Sea 2 °C
- 7.8 h of sun a day
- 9 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Snow
- 41
Summer holidays
Jul – Aug
FairBest holidays
- 11 °C by day
- Sea 5 °C
- 6.0 h of sun a day
- 10 rainy days a month
- 19
October half-term
Oct
Poor
- 1 °C by day
- Sea 3 °C
- 3.4 h of sun a day
- 10 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Snow
- 15
Christmas holidays
Dec – Jan
Poor
- −8 °C by day
- Sea 0 °C
- 0.5 h of sun a day
- 11 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Snow
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Getting there
Flying from
- Nonstop flight
- about 4 h 25 min
- Distance
- 3,230 km
- Time zone
- UTC−1
- Jet lag
- Hardly any (under 3 h)
Estimated from the straight-line distance: 30 minutes for take-off and landing plus 830 km/h cruising speed.
Frequently asked questions about Nuuk
When is the best time to visit Nuuk?
The best time to visit Nuuk is in July. That is when the holiday weather score, which combines temperature, sea, sunshine and rain, is highest.
How warm is the sea in Nuuk?
The sea temperature in Nuuk ranges from −0.3 °C in February to 5.5 °C in August. Even at its warmest the sea stays below 20 °C, so swimming is bracing at best.
Can you swim in Nuuk in October?
Only if you don't mind cold water: in October the sea averages just 2.7 °C. Comfortable swimming temperatures are not reached at any time of year.
What is the warmest month in Nuuk?
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 11 °C and nights around 5 °C. February is the coolest month at −10 °C.
When does it rain most in Nuuk?
The wettest month is September with 95 mm of precipitation. The driest month is February with 48 mm.
How many hours of sunshine does Nuuk get?
Nuuk gets around 1,560 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is May with 7.9 hours a day; in December there are 0.1 hours a day.
What time zone is Nuuk in?
Nuuk uses the time zone America/Nuuk: UTC−2 in January and UTC−1 in July.
How long is the flight from London to Nuuk?
A nonstop flight from London to Nuuk takes about 4 h 25 min, for a straight-line distance of about 3,230 km.
Which school holidays are best for Nuuk?
Nuuk has its best school-holiday weather during the summer holidays (score 41) and its weakest during the Christmas holidays (score 15). Holiday ratings (0–100): Easter holidays 29, May half-term 35, Summer holidays 41, October half-term 19, Christmas holidays 15.
Near Nuuk
Other destinations close by.
Places with a climate like Nuuk
Destinations whose weather through the year is closest to Nuuk's – good alternatives.