Nuuk vs Ilulissat: which is sunnier?
🇬🇱 Greenland vs 🇬🇱 Greenland · 562 km apart · long-term climate normals (NASA POWER, 2001–2020)
Ilulissat is the sunnier overall: about 2,313 hours of sunshine a year to Nuuk's 1,885. Ilulissat has the higher Sunshine Score in 3 of 12 months; the other 9 are within 2 points.
Scores are the 0–100 Sunshine Score — sunshine, daytime warmth and dryness in one number, per month.


At a glance
| Nuuk | Ilulissat | |
|---|---|---|
| Sunshine hours / year | 1,885 | 2,313 |
| Sunniest month | January (0/100) | July (28/100) |
| Nov–Feb average score | 0/100 | 0/100 |
| Jun–Aug average score | 0/100 | 16/100 |
| Rain / year | 885 mm | 402 mm |
| Warmest sea | 5°C / 41°F | 8°C / 46°F |
| Peak midday UV | 4 (moderate) | 3 (moderate) |
Nuuk vs Ilulissat month by month
| Month | Sunshine Score | Day high °C | Rain mm | Sea °C | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nuuk | Ilulissat | Nuuk | Ilulissat | Nuuk | Ilulissat | Nuuk | Ilulissat | |
| January | 0 | 0 | -6° | -10° | 55 | 20 | -1° | -2° |
| February | 0 | 0 | -6° | -11° | 51 | 16 | -1° | -2° |
| March | 0 | 0 | -5° | -10° | 51 | 20 | -2° | -2° |
| April | 0 | 0 | -2° | -4° | 59 | 26 | 0° | -1° |
| May | 0 | 0 | 2° | 4° | 71 | 35 | 1° | 1° |
| June | 0 | 7 | 6° | 9° | 76 | 35 | 3° | 4° |
| July | 0 | 28 | 8° | 12° | 81 | 39 | 5° | 8° |
| August | 0 | 14 | 8° | 10° | 95 | 58 | 5° | 7° |
| September | 0 | 0 | 5° | 5° | 108 | 46 | 3° | 5° |
| October | 0 | 0 | 1° | -1° | 78 | 42 | 2° | 3° |
| November | 0 | 0 | -2° | -5° | 84 | 37 | 0° | 0° |
| December | 0 | 0 | -4° | -7° | 76 | 28 | -1° | -1° |
The sunnier month by month: Jan even · Feb even · Mar even · Apr even · May even · Jun Ilulissat · Jul Ilulissat · Aug Ilulissat · Sep even · Oct even · Nov even · Dec even.
When to pick which
- November–February: too close to call — Nuuk averages 0/100, Ilulissat 0/100. Nuuk is the warmer, around -4°C daytime highs vs -8°C. See the winter sun ranking.
- March–May: too close to call — Nuuk averages 0/100, Ilulissat 0/100. Daytime highs are similar (-2°C vs -3°C).
- June–August: Ilulissat (average score 16/100 vs 0). Ilulissat is the warmer, around 10°C daytime highs vs 7°C.
- September–October: too close to call — Nuuk averages 0/100, Ilulissat 0/100. Daytime highs are similar (3°C vs 2°C).
Sea temperature
Ilulissat's sea gets warmer: 8°C / 46°F at its peak vs 5°C. Swimmable water (21°C+): Nuuk never, Ilulissat never. Month-by-month sea temperatures are in the table above.
Full month-by-month guides: Nuuk weather by month · Ilulissat weather by month.
More comparisons: Nuuk vs Goose Bay · Nuuk vs Iqaluit · Ilulissat vs Reykjavík · Ilulissat vs Iqaluit · all head-to-heads