Greenland

Greenland Weather in December

Average temperatures, rainfall, sunshine and the best places to visit in Greenland in December.

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Ilulissat Narsaq Kulusuk Sisimiut

Considering a trip to Greenland this December and wondering about the expected weather conditions? Find all the crucial information you need right here, addressing your question:

What to Expect in Greenland in December

In December, Greenland experiences a range of weather conditions, with temperatures that range from very cold to cold and precipitation levels ranging from low to heavy.

Temperatures

The average maximum daytime temperatures vary from very cold in Nord at -22°C (-8°F) to cold in Ittoqqortoormiit at 4°C (39°F). Nighttime temperatures generally drop to 0°C (32°F) in Ittoqqortoormiit and -28°C (-18°F) in Nord. In many areas in Greenland, December brings with it chilling temperatures. When visiting these parts during this time, it's of utmost importance to be ready. Choose clothing that is both layered and insulating to combat the cold effectively.

To explore the conditions in Greenland in more detail, check the map below.

Precipitation

In December, precipitation varies across different areas. From low snowfall in Kangerlussuaq with an average of 16 mm (0.6 in) to heavy snowfall in PrChristianSund with 199 mm (7.8 in).

Explore Greenland by month

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Best Places to Visit in Greenland in December

Click on a destination dot for more details. Toggle the map to compare temperatures or precipitation across Greenland.

Conditions Temperatures Precipitation
perfect weather
pleasant
tolerable
unpleasant
poor

Perfect weather is subjective. On this map perfect weather has been defined with temperatures between 20°C (68°F) and 29°C (84°F) and not too much precipitation (less than 90 mm (3.5 in) a month).

Popular Destinations in Greenland

What is the weather like in December for some of the most popular destinations in Greenland?

Temperature range in Greenland (December)

Precipitation variation in Greenland (December)

Ilulissat

In December Ilulissat generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around -9°C (16°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -16°C (3°F) and low monthly snowfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
-6°C (21°F)
-9°C (16°F)
-12°C (10°F)
Min temperature
-14°C (7°F)
-16°C (3°F)
-19°C (-2°F)
Monthly snowfall
30 mm (1.2 in)
25 mm (1 in)
19 mm (0.7 in)
Monthly rainy days
9 days
8 days
8 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Ilulissat →

Kangerlussuaq

In December Kangerlussuaq generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around -12°C (10°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -20°C (-4°F) and low monthly snowfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
-8°C (18°F)
-12°C (10°F)
-15°C (5°F)
Min temperature
-16°C (3°F)
-20°C (-4°F)
-23°C (-9°F)
Monthly snowfall
20 mm (0.8 in)
16 mm (0.6 in)
14 mm (0.6 in)
Monthly rainy days
10 days
8 days
7 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Kangerlussuaq →

Narsaq

In December Narsaq generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around -4°C (25°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -11°C (12°F) and moderate monthly snowfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
-1°C (30°F)
-4°C (25°F)
-5°C (23°F)
Min temperature
-8°C (18°F)
-11°C (12°F)
-12°C (10°F)
Monthly snowfall
121 mm (4.8 in)
84 mm (3.3 in)
92 mm (3.6 in)
Monthly rainy days
12 days
12 days
11 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Narsaq →

Kulusuk

In December Kulusuk generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around -3°C (27°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -7°C (19°F) and high monthly snowfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
0°C (32°F)
-3°C (27°F)
-4°C (25°F)
Min temperature
-4°C (25°F)
-7°C (19°F)
-8°C (18°F)
Monthly sun hours
11 hours
0 hours
1 hour
Monthly snowfall
142 mm (5.6 in)
157 mm (6.2 in)
156 mm (6.1 in)
Monthly rainy days
15 days
14 days
16 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Kulusuk →

Tasiilaq

In December Tasiilaq generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around -3°C (27°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -8°C (18°F) and high monthly snowfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
-1°C (30°F)
-3°C (27°F)
-4°C (25°F)
Min temperature
-6°C (21°F)
-8°C (18°F)
-9°C (16°F)
Monthly sun hours
11 hours
0 hours
1 hour
Monthly snowfall
128 mm (5 in)
139 mm (5.5 in)
141 mm (5.6 in)
Monthly rainy days
15 days
14 days
16 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Tasiilaq →

Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at all destinations in Greenland.

Popular cities in December

Day & night temperatures, rainfall and average weather in Greenland in December.

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
Ilulissat -9°C (16°F) -16°C (3°F) 25 mm (1 in)
Narsaq -4°C (25°F) -11°C (12°F) 84 mm (3.3 in)
Kulusuk -3°C (27°F) -7°C (19°F) 157 mm (6.2 in)
Sisimiut -8°C (18°F) -13°C (9°F) 60 mm (2.4 in)
Danmarkshavn -17°C (1°F) -23°C (-9°F) 39 mm (1.5 in)
Ittoqqortoormiit 4°C (39°F) 0°C (32°F) 111 mm (4.4 in)

Greenland weather in December: frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in Greenland in December?

In December, Greenland generally has poor weather conditions. Ilulissat sees daytime temperatures near -9°C (16°F), with nights cooling to roughly -16°C (3°F).

What is the average temperature in Greenland in December?

In Ilulissat, the average daytime high in December is -9°C (16°F), while nighttime temperatures drop to around -16°C (3°F).

Does Greenland get a lot of snow in December?

Not particularly. Ilulissat averages just 25 mm (1 in) of snow in December, making it a mostly dry month for Greenland.

Is December a Good Time to Visit Greenland?

In our view, December might not be the best time to travel to Greenland with often poor weather in Ilulissat.

Generally speaking, the best visiting conditions can be found in June and July offering mostly tolerable weather in Ilulissat. On the other hand, the weather in January, February, March, April, September, October, November and December tend to be poor.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in Greenland.

Weather and climate has detailed information for every country in the world. Are you going to Greenland? Get detailed historical weather averages for many cities in Greenland.

Not sure yet where to go? We now have a tool which recommends destinations that suit your ideal travel conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.

Bucket list

Need travel inspiration? Check out our bucket list articles and be inspired.

See the northern lights

The northern lights, polar light or Aarora Borealis is a true spectacle of nature! Green, sometimes purple, red and yellow streaks of light colors the dark skies.

Must visit in Greenland →