Walking on sunshine: 2018 sets new record for the radiant rays in Denmark

Long-standing record from 71 years ago was surpassed yesterday

When discussing negative aspects about living in Denmark, the weather is often one of the first complaints brought up by the naysayers.

But they will have to come up with alternative points of contention this year, thanks to 2018 setting a new record for the annual hours of sunshine beaming down on the country.

The previous record of 1,878 hours set back in 1947 was surpassed yesterday and it is expected that this year will end up passing the 1,900-hour mark – making 2018 the sunniest year since they started recording the stats 99 years ago.

“We expect to reach about 1,920 hours in total by the end of December,” said Mikael Scharling, a climatologist with the DMI national weather forecaster.

“That the record has been set in early December is far from being a surprise. The three months of May, June and July provided an impressive 992 hours of sunshine – 183 hours more than the same period of time in 1947.”

(photo: DMI)

READ MORE: More foreigners buying summerhouses in Denmark

Postponed by November rain
According to Scharling, the sunny summer made it clear that it wouldn’t be a question of ‘if’ the record from 1947 would be broken, but rather ‘when’.

The record was almost broken in November, but the month ended on a rather wet note thanks to several days of rain. The missing two hours finally came yesterday.

Should 2018 end up bequeathing us with 1,920 hours, as is expected, the year will have provided us with over five hours of sunshine every day.




  • Today is 10 years from Copenhagen terrorist attack

    Today is 10 years from Copenhagen terrorist attack

    On February 14 and 15, the last terrorist attack took place in Denmark. Another episode occurred in 2022, but in that case, there was no political motive behind it

  • Enter Christiania: how the Freetown works

    Enter Christiania: how the Freetown works

    We all know Christiania and have been there at least once. But how does the Freetown work? How are decisions made? Can a person move there? Is there rent or bills to pay? British journalist Dave Wood wrote a reportage on Christiania for The Copenhagen Post.

  • The struggles of Asian women in Denmark’s labour market

    The struggles of Asian women in Denmark’s labour market

    Isha Thapa unfolds her research “An Analysis on the Inclusivity and Integration of South Asian Women in High-Skilled Jobs within the Danish Labor Market”. Thapa describes the systemic and social challenges these women face, ranging from barriers in social capital to cultural integration.

  • Parents in Denmark reject social media monitoring 

    Parents in Denmark reject social media monitoring 

    Most parents in Denmark reject using social media parental controls despite knowing about them. A new study questions the effectiveness of these tools in ensuring children’s online safety.

  • Analysis: we need a different education system for international children in Denmark

    Analysis: we need a different education system for international children in Denmark

    Data analyst Kelly Draper Rasmussen highlights that Denmark sees peaks in international migration during early childhood and high school years. However, with only one international education option, many families are forced to leave to secure different opportunities for their children.

  • Danish Refugee Council to lay off up to 2,000 staff

    Danish Refugee Council to lay off up to 2,000 staff

    After the anticipation from The Copenhagen Post, a press release by DRC has confirmed the plan to lay off thousands of employees in response to the recent halt of foreign aid spending by the Trump administration.