Climate zones in Greenland, 1991 to 2020
Share of Greenland's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 9,225,898 map cells used cover 97% of the country's outline (about 2,089,727 km²).
By major group: E (polar) 100%, D (cold (continental)) 0.2%.
EF, ice cap (frost), is the main climate of Greenland, covering 76% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020, with ET (tundra) next at 24%. In plain terms, ice cap (frost) means frozen all year. Under the middle-of-the-road scenario (SSP2-4.5), 7.9% of its land is projected to be in a different zone by 2071 to 2099, with the biggest gain going to ET (tundra).
How Greenland's zones have changed and may change
Each row compares a map with 1991 to 2020. "Share in a different zone" is the share of the country's area whose class is different from 1991 to 2020. Future rows are model projections under an emissions scenario, not forecasts.
| Map | Share in a different zone | Different major group | Biggest gain | Biggest loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1901 to 1930 (past) | 3.5% | 0.2% | ET +3.1 percentage points | EF -3.3 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 3.8% | 0.4% | ET +2.6 percentage points | EF -3 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 7.9% | 1% | ET +5.7 percentage points | EF -6.7 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 17% | 2.7% | ET +11.6 percentage points | EF -14.3 percentage points |
For the past row, the comparison runs the other way: the 1901 to 1930 map against 1991 to 2020.
Zone shares by map
| Zone | 1901 to 1930 | 1991 to 2020 | SSP1-2.6 (2071 to 2099) | SSP2-4.5 (2071 to 2099) | SSP5-8.5 (2071 to 2099) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EF Ice cap (frost) | 79% | 76% | 73% | 69% | 61% |
| ET Tundra | 21% | 24% | 27% | 30% | 36% |
| Dfc Subarctic (boreal) | - | 0.2% | 0.6% | 1.2% | 2.9% |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Zones found in Greenland
Data: Beck et al. (2023), CC BY 4.0; country outlines from Natural Earth. In 1901 to 1930 the most common zone was EF. See data sources and licences.