The climate of the Nordic countries is that of a region in Northern Europe that consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and their associated territories, which include the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland. Stockholm, Sweden has on average the warmest summer of the Nordic capitals, with an average maximum temperature of 230NaN0 in July; Copenhagen, Oslo and Helsinki[1] have an average July maximum temperature of 220NaN0.
In Denmark, January temperatures average between -20NaN0 and 40NaN0.[2] Denmark's coldest month, however, is February, when the mean temperature is 00NaN0.[3] The number of hours of sunlight per day does increase during the month of February for Denmark, where they get seven to eight hours a day.[4] Iceland winters are generally mild considering how high its latitude is. The coastal lowlands of Iceland have average January temperatures of about 00NaN0, while the highlands of central Iceland generally stay below -100NaN0. The lowest winter temperatures in Iceland are usually somewhere between -250NaN0 and -300NaN0, although the lowest temperature ever recorded on Iceland was -39.70NaN0.[5] In Norway, the coastal regions have mild winters, while further inland winter is much colder. During midwinter, southern areas of Norway only get five to six hours of sunlight a day, while the north gets little to none.[6] In January, the average temperature in Norway is somewhere in between -60NaN0 and 30NaN0. Like neighboring Norway, Finland averages -60NaN0 to 10NaN0 in the month of January. Finnish areas north of the Arctic Circle rarely see the sun rise, due to the natural phenomenon of the polar night. In January and February, temperatures in this area can drop to -150NaN0. In February, Northern Finland sees about four to six hours of daylight a day.
In Iceland, spring brings warmer and milder temperatures. In the month of May, the average temperature is somewhere between 40NaN0 and 100NaN0.[7]
Denmark's warmest month is July, when the mean temperature is 170NaN0.[3] In Iceland, occasionally thunderstorms occur in the south in late summertime, due to warm air being deflected to northern latitudes from warm air masses in other parts of Europe. Also, cold air originating from Canada, warms rapidly over the ocean, forming thunderclouds. Thunderstorms, however, are very rare in Iceland, and there are less than five of them per year. In June, Iceland's average daily temperatures range from 80NaN0 to 160NaN0.[8] Summer conditions vary in Norway depending on location. The Norwegian coast has cooler summers than areas further inland. Due to its northern location, there is almost no darkness in June and July in the north, reaching as far south as Trondheim.[6] In summer, the average temperature in the Northern areas are somewhere between 80NaN0 and 160NaN0, while further South it is usually 130NaN0 to 220NaN0.[8] [9] In Finland, summers experience more rainfall than other seasons. Finland areas north of the Arctic Circle rarely see the sun set during the months of June and July, due to the natural phenomenon Midnight sun.[10] Northern parts of Finland have summer temperatures in the 80NaN0 to 160NaN0 range, while further south, the temperature is closer to 130NaN0 and 230NaN0.[8] [9] During summer in Greenland, ice sheets breaking up trigger what is known as "glacial motion" or "glacial earthquakes".
See main article: Global warming.
See main article: Effects of global warming. Greenland is one of the areas in both the Nordic region and the world most affected by climate change. A July 2006 study completed by "The Journal of Climate", determined that the melting of Greenland's ice sheets was the single largest contributor to global sea level rise. The temperatures from the year 2000 to the present have caused several very large glaciers that had long been stable, to begin to melt away. Three glaciers that have been researched: Jakobshavn Isbræ, Helheim and Kangerdlugssuaq Glaciers, jointly drain more than 16% of the Greenland Ice Sheet. Satellite images and aerial photographs from the 1950s and 1970s show that the front of the glacier had remained in the same place for decades. In 2001, the ice sheet began retreating rapidly, retreating 7.2km (04.5miles) between 2001 and 2005. It has also accelerated from 20m (70feet) to 32m (105feet) a day.[11] Western Greenland's Jakobshavn Isbræ is generally considered the fastest moving glacier in the world, and has been moving continuously at speeds of over 24m (79feet) a day with a stable terminus since at least 1950. The glacier's ice tongue began to break apart in 2000, leading to almost complete disintegration in 2003, while the retreat rate doubled to over 30m (100feet) per day.[12] In the summer of 2005, the island of Uunartoq Qeqertoq was discovered off the eastern central coast of Greenland. Prior to 2005, many people assumed that Uunartoq Qeqertoq was actually a peninsula off Liverpool Land, however, the melting ice shelves revealed that it was only connected to the mainland by glacial ice.[13]
Scientists estimate that should the current rate of climate change continue, Greenland's ice sheet, which contains 630000cumi of ice, could melt and cause global sea level to rise by 23feet. Some climate experts have estimated that Greenland could be losing 80cumi of ice each year.[14]
The 2008 Environmental Performance Index ranked countries based on the environmental performance of the country's policies. On the list, Norway was ranked 2nd, Sweden was 3rd, 4th was Finland, Iceland was ranked as 11th, and Denmark came in 26th.[15]