November Temperatures 6-10C Above Averages Across Eastern Arctic Canada

Iqalummiut were better off wearing rain slickers rather than parkas for most of the past month as unusually warm temperatures continue to flood the eastern Arctic. Above zero temperatures have dominated weather forecasts in Iqaluit this November, where on some days temperatures have risen almost 20 degrees above the average.

Normal temperatures for this time of year in Iqaluit fall between -11 C and -19 C, but the coldest day this month only dipped to about - 9 C. The mercury crept to 3.5 C in Iqaluit on Nov. 19, a couple degrees shy of the 5.5 C record high registered on the same day in 1977.

And that trend is likely to continue across most of the Arctic this week, said Environment Canada meteorologist Rene Heroux, with more above zero temperatures in store for the Eastern Arctic, including Nunavik. “Let’s just say it’s not as cold as it’s supposed to be,” Heroux said. “It could be a record-breaking November the way it’s going now.” Southwesterly winds pushed warm air north this month, meaning higher than usual temperatures everywhere in the Arctic region, Heroux said.

Temperatures have registered 10 C above normal in northern Foxe Basin, 6 C to 8 C above normal in Hudson Strait and 7 C to 9 C above normal in western Hudson Bay. As a result, Heroux said the development of ice is about four weeks late in Foxe Basin, which remains largely open water. The freeze-up is about two weeks late in western Hudson Bay with only a very narrow fringe of new ice evident along the western and southern shores.

EDIT

http://www.nunatsiaqonline.ca/stories/article/98789_warm_temperatures_flood_the_eastern_arctic/

Thanksgiving night we're predicted to hit 0F here in the Twin Cities, MN :scared: