Politis

Record High Temperatures in Greenland in January

Published February 17, 2026, 12:22
Record High Temperatures in Greenland in January

Greenland experienced its highest average temperature in 119 years in January, with 0.1 degrees Celsius recorded in Nuuk, surpassing the previous record of 1917 by 1.4 degrees. The average temperature was 7.8 degrees higher than in recent decades, reaching 11.3 degrees in some areas. The entire west coast of Greenland, over 2,000 kilometers long, faced unusually high temperatures, with Ilulissat recording an average of -1.6 degrees, 1.3 degrees higher than the previous record of 1929. The Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI) described these fluctuations as "impressive," noting that it is unusual for warm air to move into Greenland for such a long period and over such a large area. The DMI emphasized that this phenomenon is a "clear indication that something is changing" and is linked to global warming. Greenland, an Arctic island of 2.2 million square kilometers, is 80% covered in ice and is home to fewer than 57,000 inhabitants. The temperature increase has significant impacts on the environment and the inhabitants of the region. The DMI expects that global warming will lead to more high-temperature records and fewer low-temperature records in the future. This situation requires immediate action to limit greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the effects of climate change.