The weather is generally unpredictable throughout the year. Temperatures are harsh in the winter, where wind chill temperatures can be –50°C or below. Pangnirtung does experience periods of high winds, and, as a result, most of the older buildings in town are cabled to the ground.
Pangnirtung also experiences short days in the winter. From mid November to mid February, Pangnirtung does not receive direct sunlight due high coastal mountains. The temperature in July and August usually averages between 5°C and 15°C. There is continuous daylight from April to mid-August.
Pangnirtung’s weather information services are provided by Environment Canada by local telephone at 473-8795 or online at: http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/city/pages/nu-7_metric_e.html
Most of the local hunters rely on traditional weather information based on moon cycles and tidal effects on the weathers system as well as shared information from local hunters. Since the weather systems are localized within 200 kilometre radius of Pangnirtung, hunters provide information such as wind conditions (approximate speed & direction using local terms of descriptions*), travel route conditions, ice & snow conditions, and wildlife observations (types, numbers, their state & behaviour, and locations).
Notes*:
Instead of using direction such as North, West, South or East for direction of wind, traditionally, we use proximity words to describe wind direction based on the direction of fiords, bays, sounds or land descriptions.