The Climate of the
Faroe Islands
Vágur, a village in Suðuroy
What is the climate of the Faroe Islands like?
The Faroe Islands are an island country that is part of Denmark. They are situated in the stormiest part of the North Atlantic, midway between Norway and Iceland. Under the influence of the warm ocean current of the Gulf Stream, the climate is very mild for the latitude. Tórshavn has a representative climate of the Faroes.
The climate is thus an oceanic one; fog is common, and storms are frequent at all seasons. July and August are the only true summer months, but the winters are not very severe.
Winters in the Faroes are warmer than those in Denmark. The islands are cloudy, wet, and windy throughout the year, for they lie in the path of the majority of Atlantic depressions. They are never very cold for long in winter and the summers are cool and sunless. It seldom freezes for more than one month, and the harbours are rarely ice-bound. Daily sunshine in the summer months averages only about four hours.
| Climate data for Tórshavn (1991–2020) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 6.2 (43.2) | 6.0 (42.8) | 6.4 (43.5) | 7.6 (45.7) | 9.3 (48.7) | 11.3 (52.3) | 12.9 (55.2) | 13.3 (55.9) | 11.9 (53.4) | 9.6 (49.3) | 7.6 (45.7) | 6.5 (43.7) | 9.0 (48.2) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 4.3 (39.7) | 4.0 (39.2) | 4.3 (39.7) | 5.4 (41.7) | 7.1 (44.8) | 9.1 (48.4) | 10.7 (51.3) | 11.1 (52.0) | 10.0 (50.0) | 7.8 (46.0) | 5.8 (42.4) | 4.5 (40.1) | 7.0 (44.6) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 2.1 (35.8) | 1.6 (34.9) | 2.1 (35.8) | 3.2 (37.8) | 5.0 (41.0) | 7.3 (45.1) | 9.1 (48.4) | 9.3 (48.7) | 8.1 (46.6) | 5.7 (42.3) | 3.6 (38.5) | 2.2 (36.0) | 4.9 (40.8) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 164.5 (6.48) | 128.1 (5.04) | 127.8 (5.03) | 91.2 (3.59) | 68.4 (2.69) | 62.3 (2.45) | 70.1 (2.76) | 91.8 (3.61) | 116.3 (4.58) | 145.0 (5.71) | 151.8 (5.98) | 154.4 (6.08) | 1,359.5 (53.52) |
| Source: Danish Meteorological Institute | |||||||||||||
References
- E. A. Pearce, Charles Gordon Smith, (1990) The Hutchinson World Weather Guide, John Murray Press. ISBN 1859863426
- Timothy L. Gall, (ed.), (2003), Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations, Eleventh Edition, Thomson Gale
- Hugh Chisholm, (ed.), (1911), Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh edition, Cambridge University Press
The Climate of the
Faroe Islands
In summary:
Oceanic climate with cool summers, but mild winters. The islands are cloudy, wet, and windy throughout the year.