Weather
in Labrador, Canada
With
its rugged rock and, bleak fiorded coast, and largely unexplored
interior, Labrador
is one of the most unspoiled parts of Canada. Its climate may
be described as somewhere between inhospitable and invigorating.
The
Climate here is more Arctic than Atlantic. Because it is on
the Eastern side of the continent, it experiences strong seasonal
contrast in the characteristics and movements of air masses.
The predominant flow is off the land. The rugged Labrador-Caribou
Mountains in the North, with peaks above 1200 Metres, confine
the moderating influence of the Atlantic Ocean to the Rocky
Islands and near shore.
The
limitation of the oceans influence, however, is not a serious
disadvantage, because in this region its effect on the climate
is generally unpleasant. The Labrador Sea is infested with floating
pack ice and icebergs for eight months of the year. The masses
of ice keep sea temperatures below 4 Celsius. An east wind off
the Labrador current is a cool wind in Summer, often with light
rain or drizzle. In winter when the Atlantic Air is relatively
mild, the accompanying weather includes cloud and frequent snow
flurries. Whenever easterly winds bring very moist air from
the Atlantic, widespread fog occurs.
TEMPERATURE
Winds
are very cold, with typical daytime temperatures for January
between -10 and -15C, colder than Newfoundland and more like
the frigidity of the southern Prairies. An occasional incursion
of Atlantic air will warm up in the winter. The Summer season
is brief and cold along the coast because of the cold Labrador
current. July average temperatures are from 8 to 10C along the
coast but are 3 to 5C warmer in the interior. The pleasantness
of the summer day along the coast is often determined by the
wind direction--westerly winds bring clear, mild continental
air, whereas easterlies, blowing off the Labrador Current, bring
cold, cloudy, and moist weather.
PRECIPITATION
Precipitation
is heaviest in the south and decreases northwards. On the whole
it is much lighter than in Newfoundland, although amounts can
vary considerably from year to year.
Southern
Labrador is not unlike the moist northern shores of Newfoundland,
with 1000mm, as a typical yearly fall of precipitation. About
45% of this occurs as snow. Over much of Labrador 800 mm is
a more typical amount, with about half of it snow. In Summer,
rainfall is quite reliable, with seasonal totals seldom less
than 175 mm in the north and 275mm in the south.
Snowfall
is heavy, with Churchill Falls in the interior having 481 cm,
making it one of the snowiest places in Canada. Goose Bay has
a mean snowfall of 445 cm. In the south, Cartwright averages
440 cm, and in the north Nain is typical with 424 cm. - The
ground is snow covered for eight months in the far north and
for six months in the south.
This
information came from Environment Canada's THE CLIMATES
OF CANADA
Labrador-Caribou
Wilderness Adventures
