Baffin Sea Water Temperature Today & Regional Overview
We find every place where you can swim and show you the water temperature there today and throughout the year.
Current Water Temperature
The water temperature in the Baffin Sea today ranges from 6°C (Upernavik, Greenland) to 8.2°C (Qasigiannguit, Greenland).
As of today, the minimum water temperature in the Baffin Sea ranges from 41°F (5°C) to 47°F (8°C). This water temperature is still quite low, and swimming in such conditions may only be comfortable for hardened individuals. It is recommended to limit the time spent in the water to avoid hypothermia. For those not accustomed to cold water, it is better to refrain from swimming. However, if you decide to enter the water, it is advisable to wear a warm wetsuit for protection against the cold.
It is important to note that these swimming tips and recommendations apply only in good weather. When the air temperature is below 68°F (20°C), and sometimes even below 77°F (25°C), swimming can be unpleasant even with relatively high water temperatures.
Sea Temperature Trends
Over the past month, the water temperature in the Baffin Sea has remained almost unchanged. In general, the sea water temperature remains within the statistical range for this time of year.
Water Temperature and Swimming Conditions Throughout the Year
| Month | Min | Max |
|---|---|---|
| January | -2°C | 1°C |
| February | -3°C | 1°C |
| March | -3°C | 1°C |
| April | -4°C | 1°C |
| May | -4°C | 3°C |
| June | -3°C | 7°C |
| July | -2°C | 9°C |
| August | -2°C | 8°C |
| September | 1°C | 7°C |
| October | -2°C | 5°C |
| November | -3°C | 3°C |
| December | -3°C | 3°C |
The Baffin Sea, the cold Arctic waters around Baffin Island and adjacent straits, maintains very low temperatures year-round. Surface temperatures are typically close to the freezing point of seawater in winter, roughly −2°C to 0°C, and only rise modestly in summer. Seasonal surface ranges are approximately −2°C to 0°C in winter, about −1°C to 3°C in spring, roughly 0°C to 6°C in summer with isolated sheltered fjords occasionally reaching near 8°C in late summer, and about −1°C to 3°C again in autumn. Deeper water remains much colder and more stable, and local variations are strong: coastal shallows warmed by brief summer sunlight can be a few degrees warmer, while currents, freshwater input and lingering pack ice keep many areas at or just below freezing for much of the year.
Swimming Conditions
Swimming in the Baffin Sea is technically possible but effectively impractical and hazardous for most people. There are generally no blanket bans on entering the water, but extreme cold, fast onset of hypothermia, coastal ice, remote locations and strong currents make casual or unsuited swimming unsafe. Only well-equipped, experienced persons using protective dry suits or thick neoprene, with shore support and emergency plans, should consider immersion, and even then exposure times must be strictly limited. For most visitors, close appreciation of the region’s waters is best done from shore or by boat rather than by swimming, both for personal safety and because local conditions change rapidly with ice and weather.