SeasonMapIlulissat (Disko Bay) weather in January
Greenland
January in Ilulissat: freezing, dry, with clean air — not the time — well below freezing.
#12 of 12 months in Ilulissat · #1359 of 1383 destinations to visit in January · comfort 24/100 (tier F)
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
Traveller notes on Ilulissat in January
Other months in Ilulissat
Ilulissat's forum flags July for the midnight sun — it doesn't fully set from mid-May into late July — and for mosquitoes, which regulars say are genuinely present through June, July and August. Boat-trip veterans recommend a windproof layer even on a mild-looking day, since the wind off the water cuts the temperature noticeably.
Add your own note from Ilulissat's card on the map.
Ilulissat climate normals — January
| Daytime high | -10°C / 14°F | 🥶 freezing |
|---|---|---|
| Nighttime low | -16°C / 3°F | |
| Feels like (high) | -15°C / 5°F | |
| Sea temperature | -2°C / 29°F | 🥶 cold sea |
| Rainfall | 15 mm / 0.6 in | ☀️ dry |
| Rainy days | 5 days | |
| Humidity | 62% | 💧 humid |
| Dew point | -20°C / -4°F | |
| Sunshine | 0.6 h/day | |
| Daylight | 2 h | |
| Wind | 16 km/h / 10 mph | |
| Snowfall | 27 cm / 10.6 in | |
| Air quality (US AQI) | 37 | 🍃 good |
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Ilulissat in January
How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.
Quietschool holidays in 7 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Ilulissat's weather
Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).
Toughest weatherIlulissat's weather peaks June–August, best around July.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Ilulissat in January
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Season
Dog sledding season
5 Jan – 15 Apr · usuallyIce seasonThis is the largest sledding district in Greenland and the teams work once the bay ice takes, roughly January to April. The 2,500 dogs you hear all summer are the same ones.
- Nature
Aurora season
15 Sep – 10 Apr · usuallyThe lights come back with the dark in late September and stay until the sun does in April. Clear nights in Disko Bay are the constraint, not the latitude.
- Nature
Polar night
About 2.0 hours of daylight a day in January; the light is the story, not the sights.
from the climate normals
Where is Ilulissat?
Ilulissat in January — FAQ
- Is January a good time to visit Ilulissat?
- January in Ilulissat: freezing, dry, with clean air — not the time — well below freezing. It ranks #12 of 12 months for Ilulissat on SeasonMap's comfort score (24/100).
- What is the weather like in Ilulissat in January?
- In January, Ilulissat averages a daily high of -10°C and a low of -15.9°C, with about 14.8 mm of rain over roughly 4.9 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Ilulissat in January?
- Ilulissat has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 37 in January.
- Does it snow in Ilulissat in January?
- Ilulissat sees roughly 27 cm of snowfall in January.