When you think of Greenland, you probably think of icebergs, glaciers and polar bears…
You might not think of balmy summer weather warm enough for shorts and t-shirts. But that’s exactly what one town within the Arctic country experienced on July 30 when temperatures hit an all-time high of 78.6 F (25.9 C).
The Danish Meteorological Institute reported the record high temperature as measured at an official airport weather station in Maniitsoq/Sugar Loaf, which is located along Greenland’s western coast.
In a report issued by the agency, a low pressure system over Baffin Island to the west joined with a large, high pressure system over Greenland. The warm weather likely resulted from what’s known as the Foehn Effect, in which cool, moist air climbs over mountains and then heats up as it heads down as a dry southeasterly wind. Want to know more? Read the informative Capital Weather Gang Post by Jason Samenow.
The new record surpassed the previous record temperature of 77.9 F (25.5 C) set at Kangerlussuaq on July 27, 1990, about 23 years ago. Climate records in Greenland date back to 1958.
• Greenland is about 3 times larger than Texas and about 1/3 the size of Australia.
• Greenland is the 3rd largest country in North America and the 12th largest country overall.
• About 57,000 people live in Greenland.
• Marine animals such as seals, Beluga whales and even narwhals swim in the oceans surrounding Greenland.
• The country features the world’s largest national park that is home to walrus, musk oxen, and polar bears.
• There’s a big polar bear on Greenland’s coat of arms