Records melt in eastern Arctic December heat wave

Above zero temperatures draw moisture to the surface of Arctic airport runways, creating the need for de-icing. That led to grounded flights for communities, such as Kangiqsujuaq, that lack de-icing equipment. (PHOTO BY SARAH ROGERS)

Residents of the eastern Arctic either loved or hated December’s warm spell, which cast record-high temperatures across the region for most of the month.

In Iqaluit, the mercury soared to 10 C midway through the month.

Yvonne Bilan-Wallace, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, called the month the third-warmest on record, with regional temperatures like that not seen since 1947.

While the seasonal norms for the region hovered in the minus twenty degrees, many Nunavut communities were boasting temperatures 30 degrees higher then normal.

“In the Iqaluit area, there were five consecutive days that were above the freezing level,” Bilan-Wallace said. “It’s quite unusual to see so many consecutive days of those temperatures.”

Warm air systems from the south extended later into the winter than most years, she said. That pushed warm air over the Davis Straight last month, creating ice break-up in certain areas.

“People in the north really depend on travelling along the sea ice,” Bilan-Wallace said. “That can cause a lot of concern when there are consecutive days of warm weather like we saw.”

While the seasonal norms for the region hover in the -20 C degrees, many Nunavut communities were boasting temperatures up to 30 degrees higher then normal.

In Kuujjuaq, Environment Canada recorded temperatures as high as 2.4C on Dec. 19 and Dec. 20 – a record high for the region of Nunavik.
The normal temperature in Kuujjuaq in December is -19 C.

Temperatures last registered close to that in Dec. 2003, when the mercury hit 1.5 C, said Environment Canada meteorologist Andre Cantin in Quebec.

Although the federal agency doesn’t measure precipitation across Nunavik, elders in some communities said the last month of 2009 saw more snowfall than the region has seen since the 1960s.

Not everyone had reason to begrudge the warmer weather, but it did cause a few headaches at the Iqaluit airport, where -30 C temperatures usually mean clear and dry runways.

Airport director John Graham said above zero temperatures over a three-week period in December created moisture on the runway surface, costing the airport thousands in de-icing material that isn’t normally used until the spring thaw.

“In my 33 years up here, I’ve seen the odd warm December day,” Graham said. “But this was three and a half really challenging weeks trying to keep the runways operational for airplanes to get in and out.”

In that time, the airport went through two years’ worth of de-icing material — chemicals applied to the runway to prevent it from icing — to the tune of $150,000.

The airport, which processes more than 400 flights a week, did not miss a single flight during that period, Graham added, which included the holiday season.

Mild temperatures also caused concern for some companies who use Iqaluit’s frigid temperatures and airport facilities to test new aircraft.
Graham is hopeful that now seasonal temperatures will maintain those contracts, which bring manufacturers from around the world to Nunavut’s capital every winter.

Indeed, Environment Canada is now forecasting normal temperatures in the Eastern Arctic, at least until the end of the month.