Climate of Falkland Islands

Climate of Falkland Islands

The Falkland Islands are located in the South Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Argentina. The Falkland Islands consist of two large islands, East Falkland and West Falkland, which are separated by the Falkland Sound. Furthermore, the island group consists of many smaller islands of which only a few are inhabited. In total, about 3000 people live on the Falkland Islands, the vast majority of whom live in the capital Stanley on East Falkland. The islands were the focus of a war between Argentina and the United Kingdom in the early 1980s. The Falklands War lasted just under a month and left about a thousand dead. As a result of this war, soldiers are still stationed on the islands. South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands belong to the administrative region of the Falkland Islands. The Falkland Islands have a cool maritime climate with even precipitation throughout the year. Only in the months of December and January is the precipitation slightly higher, but in almost all cases this will be rain. Snowfall does occur here, but it is very sporadic. The Atlantic Ocean has a clear dampening influence on the climate here, so that there are almost no extremes. The average annual temperature here is 5.5 degrees Celsius. The record temperature here is 24 degrees Celsius and the cold record here is -11 degrees Celsius. The Falkland Islands have an average humidity of 82 percent.

Climate figures

The figures below are based on long-term average climate statistics. The temperatures are displayed in degrees Celsius (°C).

Maximum temperature Minimum temperature Hours of sunshine per day Days of rainfall per month Water temperature
January 13℃ 6℃ 6 13 9℃
February 13℃ 6℃ 6 12 9℃
March 12℃ 5℃ 5 11 9℃
April 9℃ 3℃ 4 11 8℃
May 7℃ 1℃ 3 12 7℃
June 5℃ 1℃ 2 11 6℃
July 5℃ 0℃ 3 10 5℃
August 5℃ 0℃ 4 10 5℃
September 7℃ 1℃ 5 9 5℃
October 9℃ 2℃ 6 10 6℃
November 11℃ 3℃ 6 11 7℃
December 12℃ 5℃ 6 12 8℃

Best time to visit the Falkland Islands

Do you want to know when is the best time to travel to the Falkland Islands? You can determine the best time to travel to a destination based on the weather and climate. In addition, there are other factors that are not directly related to the weather and that can influence the best travel periods for a travel destination. Think, for example, of holidays or festive periods, which makes traveling more interesting or not, because daily life comes to a standstill as a result. The chances of you speaking to someone who has ever been to the Falkland Islands are not that great. It’s not that this archipelago isn’t worth a visit. No, it is the long and expensive journey to get there, which means that the number of tourists that come here is quite limited. The Falkland Islands are located east of Argentina. Geographically, you would therefore suspect that the islands belong to Argentina. That’s really not the case. The Falkland Islands, once discovered by a Dutchman, are a British overseas territory. Argentina believes that the islands belong to Argentina, which led to the Falklands War in 1982. The cool maritime climate is perfect for sheep farming. About half a million sheep live on these islands. Fishing is another important economic pillar.

Best months

If you want to visit the Falkland Islands, it is best to do so between December and February. This is the local summer when temperatures are at their highest: about 10 to 16 degrees during the day and around 5 to 9 degrees at night. These are not summer values. You don’t have to travel to the Falklands for a beach holiday. But for the unique flora and fauna, which come into their own in the summer.

Reverse seasons

During our summer, it is winter in the Falkland Islands, because this special destination is located in the southern hemisphere. It is then bleak and gloomy. Temperatures are around or slightly above freezing. The fairly strong and cool winds ensure that the wind chill makes it feel a lot below freezing. Snow regularly falls during this period. For those who are stuck with the school holidays, the summer holidays would be ideal because you have more time for the entire trip. In terms of weather, this is unfortunately far from the best time to travel.

Falkland Islands