Iqaluit weather by month & the best time to visit
Canada · seaside town · subarctic climate
Iqaluit is short on reliable sunshine. Its best month is July (Score 37/100) — for stronger sun, try one of the nearby alternatives.
When is the best time to visit Iqaluit?
Iqaluit never gets truly sunny weather: July is as good as it gets at 37/100, and January is the low point (0/100). If sunshine is the point of the trip, the nearby alternatives do better.
How sunny is Iqaluit?
Iqaluit gets a moderate 1,936 hours of sunshine a year. July (37/100) is noticeably better than January (0). It ranks #155 of 242 destinations in Canada for annual sunshine, below the national median of 2,024 hours. Rain has a clear season: the wettest stretch, around August, carries about 41% of the annual 647 mm.
Sunshine Score by month
| Month | Score | Day high | Night low | Rain | UV | Sea |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 0 | -23° / -9°F | -29° / -20°F | 20 mm | 0 | -2° / 28°F |
| February | 0 | -21° / -6°F | -29° / -20°F | 18 mm | 0 | -2° / 28°F |
| March | 0 | -15° / 5°F | -25° / -13°F | 29 mm | 1 | -2° / 28°F |
| April | 0 | -6° / 21°F | -16° / 3°F | 40 mm | 3 | -2° / 28°F |
| May | 0 | 1° / 34°F | -6° / 21°F | 53 mm | 3 | -1° / 30°F |
| June | 0 | 8° / 46°F | 2° / 36°F | 78 mm | 3 | 1° / 34°F |
| July | 37 | 14° / 57°F | 6° / 43°F | 88 mm | 3 | 5° / 41°F |
| August | 24 | 12° / 54°F | 5° / 41°F | 91 mm | 2 | 6° / 43°F |
| September | 0 | 5° / 41°F | -1° / 30°F | 88 mm | 1 | 4° / 39°F |
| October | 0 | -2° / 28°F | -8° / 18°F | 63 mm | 0 | 1° / 34°F |
| November | 0 | -10° / 14°F | -16° / 3°F | 48 mm | 0 | -1° / 30°F |
| December | 0 | -17° / 1°F | -23° / -9°F | 31 mm | 0 | -2° / 28°F |
Sea temperature in Iqaluit by month
The sea off Iqaluit is warmest in August at around 6°C / 43°F, and coolest in January at -2°C / 28°F. It never reaches comfortable swimming temperatures (21°C+). Month-by-month sea-surface temperatures are in the Sea column of the table above.
Nearest destinations
Head-to-head
How Iqaluit compares month by month: Iqaluit vs Nuuk · Iqaluit vs Goose Bay · Iqaluit vs Ilulissat · all comparisons
Iqaluit: questions and answers
What kind of destination is Iqaluit?
Iqaluit is a seaside town in Canada with a subarctic climate — the sea reaches 6°C at its warmest.
How many hours of sunshine does Iqaluit get a year?
Iqaluit gets about 1,936 hours of sunshine a year, at its best around July.
When is the best time to visit Iqaluit?
Iqaluit is short on reliable sunshine — its best month is only July at 37/100. For a sunnier trip, see the nearest strong-sun alternatives listed on the page.
What is the least sunny month in Iqaluit?
January is the least sunny month in Iqaluit, scoring 0/100 with about 20 mm of rain.
What is the sea temperature in Iqaluit?
The sea in Iqaluit ranges from about -2°C (January) to 6°C (August). Month-by-month sea temperatures are on this page.
How strong is the sun in Iqaluit?
The typical midday UV index in Iqaluit peaks around 3 (moderate) in April, easing to about 0 (low) in January. Month-by-month midday UV values are in the UV column of the table on this page.
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