Climate of Greenland

Greenland has a special kind of weather called a tundra climate along the coasts and an ice cap climate in the middle. This means summers are short and cool, while winters are long and only somewhat cold. Because of a warm ocean current called the Gulf Stream, Greenland's winters are much milder than you might expect for its location. For example, in Nuuk, the capital, winter temperatures usually only drop to around −9 °C (16 °F), which is much warmer than places at similar latitudes, like Iqaluit in Canada, where winters can reach −27 °C (−17 °F).

However, Greenland's summers are quite cool, with average high temperatures around just 10 °C (50 °F). This cool weather means trees cannot grow, and most of Greenland is a treeless tundra. In the very middle of Greenland, on the huge Greenland ice sheet, temperatures stay below freezing all year. The warmest it has ever gotten there is just 2.2 °C (36 °F).

There is one special place in southern Greenland called the Qinngua Valley where trees can grow. This is because the valley is surrounded by tall mountains that block the cold winds from the ice sheet. This small forest is the only natural one in all of Greenland and stretches about 15 kilometres (9.3 miles) long.

Climate change

Main article: Climate change in Greenland

Greenland has a huge ice sheet that is 3 kilometers thick and covers an area as big as Mexico. This ice is so heavy that it pushes the land below sea level. Scientists have even found big features like Greenland's Grand Canyon hidden under the ice.

If all the ice in Greenland melted, it would cause sea levels around the world to rise by about 6.40 meters. This is a big concern because the ice is melting faster now than before. Researchers have noticed that Greenland's biggest glaciers are moving more quickly, which can cause earthquakes.

The Arctic, where Greenland is located, is warming up faster than other places. Scientists think Greenland is losing a lot of ice each year, which could raise sea levels even more. They study old photos of glaciers to understand how they are changing over time.

Climate data

Greenland has cold winters and cool summers. Near the coast, the climate is called a tundra climate, while inland it is an ice cap climate. The warm waters from the Gulf Stream keep Greenland's winters milder than you might expect for its location.

Towns