Iqaluit has a tundra climate (Köppen: ET) typical of the Arctic region, although it is well outside the Arctic Circle.
The city features very long, cold winters and brief, cool summers.
Average monthly temperatures are below freezing for eight months of the year.
Iqaluit averages just over 400 mm (16 in)  of precipitation annually, much wetter than many other localities in the Arctic Archipelago, with the summer being the wettest season.
Temperatures of the winter months are comparable to other northern communities further west on the continent such as Yellowknife and to some extent even Fairbanks, Alaska, even though Iqaluit is a few degrees colder than the latter.
Summer temperatures are, however, much colder due to its easterly maritime position affected by the waters of the cold Baffin Island Current.
This means that the tree line is much further south in the eastern part of Canada, being as southbound, in spite of low elevation, as northern Labrador.

Although it is north of the natural tree line, there are some short, south-facing imported black spruce (Picea mariana) specimens protected by snowdrifts in the winter, in addition to a few shrubs, which are woody plants.
These include the Arctic willow (Salix arctica), which is hard to recognize as a tree because of its low height.
The Arctic willow may be up to around 7.6 m (25 ft) horizontally, but only 150 mm (6 in) tall.

The climate of Iqaluit is also colder than Gulf Stream locations on the same latitude.
For example, the Norwegian city of Trondheim has an annual mean temperature that is 15.2 °C (27.4 °F) milder.

The highest temperature ever recorded in Iqaluit was 26.7 °C (80 °F) on 21 July 2008.
The lowest temperature ever recorded was −45.6 °C (−50 °F) on 10 February 1967.
Iqaluit has a tundra climate (Köppen: ET) typical of the Arctic region, although it is well outside the Arctic Circle. The city features very long, cold winters and brief, cool summers. Average monthly temperatures are below freezing for eight months of the year. Iqaluit averages just over 400 mm (16 in)  of precipitation annually, much wetter than many other localities in the Arctic Archipelago, with the summer being the wettest season. Temperatures of the winter months are comparable to other northern communities further west on the continent such as Yellowknife and to some extent even Fairbanks, Alaska, even though Iqaluit is a few degrees colder than the latter. Summer temperatures are, however, much colder due to its easterly maritime position affected by the waters of the cold Baffin Island Current. This means that the tree line is much further south in the eastern part of Canada, being as southbound, in spite of low elevation, as northern Labrador.
Although it is north of the natural tree line, there are some short, south-facing imported black spruce (Picea mariana) specimens protected by snowdrifts in the winter, in addition to a few shrubs, which are woody plants. These include the Arctic willow (Salix arctica), which is hard to recognize as a tree because of its low height. The Arctic willow may be up to around 7.6 m (25 ft) horizontally, but only 150 mm (6 in) tall.
The climate of Iqaluit is also colder than Gulf Stream locations on the same latitude. For example, the Norwegian city of Trondheim has an annual mean temperature that is 15.2 °C (27.4 °F) milder.
The highest temperature ever recorded in Iqaluit was 26.7 °C (80 °F) on 21 July 2008. The lowest temperature ever recorded was −45.6 °C (−50 °F) on 10 February 1967.
Iqaluit