In July, various regions in Yukon and the Northwest Territories are experiencing unprecedented heat, shattering long-standing temperature records. Environment Canada has issued heat warnings for parts of Yukon and N.W.T., including areas as far north as Inuvik, located 200 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle, where temperatures are expected to exceed 29°C during the day.
The heatwave is impacting regions accustomed to much lower daily temperatures in the low 20-degree range. Jesse Wagar, a warning preparedness meteorologist with Environment Canada, expressed concern over the significant warming trend in the Arctic, emphasizing the rapid increase in temperatures and its connection to climate change. Wagar mentioned that four out of the five hottest temperatures ever recorded in the N.W.T. occurred in the past eight years, describing the situation as “alarming.”
Wagar noted that over the past decade, temperatures in northern communities have been rising at an exponential rate. As a result of this Arctic warming, Environment Canada established a new heat threshold specifically for Nunavut. Nunavut has never had a heat warning program until this year, as the need for one has become evident due to the increasing heat trends.
The Northwest Territories have witnessed remarkable heat records being broken. On July 8, Paulatuk broke its 1990 daily maximum temperature record, reaching 29.6°C. Fort Good Hope, located on the Mackenzie River, set a new all-time daily maximum temperature of 37.4°C, surpassing the previous record set in 1920. Norman Wells also experienced a record-breaking temperature of 37.9°C, surpassing the 1989 record.
The heatwave in these regions is a cause for concern, as temperatures are exceeding records by several degrees. Additionally, Inuvik broke its all-time daily maximum temperature record on July 4, reaching 33°C. The heat records being broken in July 2023 are comparable to those of the previous year, with May of this year being even hotter.
Yukon has also been affected, with heat warnings issued for the Mayo region, including Carmacks, Faro, and Ross River. Carmacks broke its all-time daytime high maximum temperature record on July 7, reaching 35.5°C. The third-highest temperature ever recorded in Yukon occurred in Mayo in 1969, with a temperature of 36.1°C. Yukon has already seen 17 high-temperature records broken in the first nine days of July, surpassing the total for the entire month of July 2022. Similar temperature records were broken in May, with 21 new records set in the territory.
In Northwestern Ontario, Big Trout Lake broke its heat record on July 2, reaching 31.9°C. In the Nunavik Region of northern Quebec, Kuujjuaq experienced temperatures exceeding 32°C for two consecutive days in early July. On July 4, Kuujjuaq broke its all-time daily maximum temperature record, reaching 34.3°C.
Jesse Wagar emphasized the importance of everyone remaining vigilant during extreme heat events, watching for symptoms of heat illness such as swelling, rash, and cramps. It is crucial to take breaks from the heat and seek cooler environments to mitigate the effects of extreme heat.