A piteraq is a very cold katabatic wind that descends from Greenland’s ice cap and sweeps down the island’s east coast. Its name comes from a local Greenlandic expression meaning “that which attacks you,” reflecting the wind’s sudden and dangerous character.
The Greenland ice sheet cools the air directly above it. That air becomes dense and begins sinking under gravity, creating a powerful downslope flow. A low-pressure system approaching Greenland’s east coast can intensify the process by drawing cold air off the ice cap and through fjords and coastal valleys.
Piteraqs are most common in autumn and winter. Typical wind speeds range from 50 to 80 meters per second—about 180 to 288 kilometers per hour—although weaker events are much more frequent. The winds can affect coastal settlements and nearby seas, not just the immediate foot of the ice sheet.
The worst documented piteraq struck Tasiilaq on February 6, 1970. Estimated winds reached about 90 meters per second, or 325 kilometers per hour, comparable to a Category 5 hurricane. Bora and mistral are also named cold winds, but neither specifically identifies Greenland’s ice-cap wind.