East Bay (Nunavut)
Geography
The habitat consists of three main types, water, unvegetated land, and moist or wet vegetated tundra. This can be further broken down as dry heath, gravel ridge, intertidal zone, moss carpet, scrub willow, and sedge meadow. The elevation rises up to 122 m (400 ft) above sea level.
Climate
Southampton Island has a severe subarctic climate (Köppen Dfc) which transitions into a tundra climate (ET). Like almost all of Nunavut, Southampton Island is entirely above the tree line. Coral Harbour has never gone above freezing in January, February and March (although the latter has recorded 0.0 °C (32.0 °F). Due to the frozen nature of Hudson Bay, there is a severe seasonal lag until June, especially compared to more continental areas such as Fairbanks despite much sunshine and perpetual twilight at night. Due to the drop of solar strength and the absence of warm water even in summer, temperatures still drop off very fast as September approaches. Cold extremes are severe, but in line with many areas even farther south in Canada's interior.
| Climate data for Coral Harbour (Coral Harbour Airport) WMO ID: 71915; coordinates 64°11′36″N 83°21′34″W / 64.19333°N 83.35944°W; elevation: 62.2 m (204 ft); 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1933−present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high humidex | 0.2 | −1.9 | −0.5 | 4.4 | 8.9 | 23.1 | 32.8 | 30.1 | 19.9 | 7.6 | 3.7 | 3.2 | 32.8 |
| Record high °C (°F) | 0.6 (33.1) |
−1.1 (30.0) |
0.0 (32.0) |
5.0 (41.0) |
9.4 (48.9) |
23.5 (74.3) |
28.0 (82.4) |
26.1 (79.0) |
18.5 (65.3) |
7.6 (45.7) |
4.0 (39.2) |
3.4 (38.1) |
28.0 (82.4) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −24.9 (−12.8) |
−25.6 (−14.1) |
−20.2 (−4.4) |
−11.0 (12.2) |
−2.5 (27.5) |
6.9 (44.4) |
14.8 (58.6) |
12.1 (53.8) |
4.8 (40.6) |
−2.5 (27.5) |
−11.2 (11.8) |
−19.2 (−2.6) |
−6.5 (20.3) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −29.0 (−20.2) |
−29.7 (−21.5) |
−24.9 (−12.8) |
−16.1 (3.0) |
−6.0 (21.2) |
3.5 (38.3) |
10.2 (50.4) |
8.2 (46.8) |
2.0 (35.6) |
−5.5 (22.1) |
−15.5 (4.1) |
−23.4 (−10.1) |
−10.5 (13.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −33.2 (−27.8) |
−33.7 (−28.7) |
−29.7 (−21.5) |
−21.1 (−6.0) |
−9.6 (14.7) |
0.1 (32.2) |
5.6 (42.1) |
4.2 (39.6) |
−0.8 (30.6) |
−8.6 (16.5) |
−19.8 (−3.6) |
−27.6 (−17.7) |
−14.5 (5.9) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −52.8 (−63.0) |
−51.4 (−60.5) |
−49.4 (−56.9) |
−39.4 (−38.9) |
−31.1 (−24.0) |
−15.6 (3.9) |
−1.1 (30.0) |
−3.3 (26.1) |
−17.2 (1.0) |
−34.4 (−29.9) |
−40.6 (−41.1) |
−48.9 (−56.0) |
−52.8 (−63.0) |
| Record low wind chill | −69.5 | −69.3 | −64.3 | −55.1 | −39.7 | −23.2 | −8.2 | −11.8 | −23.7 | −43.7 | −54.8 | −64.2 | −69.5 |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 9.5 (0.37) |
7.0 (0.28) |
11.2 (0.44) |
18.2 (0.72) |
19.0 (0.75) |
27.6 (1.09) |
34.1 (1.34) |
59.4 (2.34) |
45.4 (1.79) |
33.8 (1.33) |
22.9 (0.90) |
14.8 (0.58) |
302.9 (11.93) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.4 (0.02) |
4.3 (0.17) |
20.8 (0.82) |
34.1 (1.34) |
58.9 (2.32) |
36.7 (1.44) |
7.2 (0.28) |
0.5 (0.02) |
0.0 (0.0) |
163.0 (6.42) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 9.6 (3.8) |
7.1 (2.8) |
11.3 (4.4) |
18.2 (7.2) |
14.9 (5.9) |
6.9 (2.7) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.6 (0.2) |
8.6 (3.4) |
26.7 (10.5) |
22.9 (9.0) |
14.8 (5.8) |
141.6 (55.7) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 8.5 | 6.7 | 9.0 | 9.5 | 10.4 | 9.6 | 9.6 | 12.6 | 11.2 | 14.6 | 13.0 | 10.4 | 125.1 |
| Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 1.8 | 7.2 | 9.6 | 12.5 | 8.2 | 3.6 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 43.8 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) | 8.6 | 6.6 | 9.0 | 9.5 | 9.4 | 3.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 4.3 | 13.1 | 12.9 | 10.4 | 87.3 |
| Average relative humidity (%) (at 1500 LST) | 67.4 | 66.4 | 69.2 | 74.5 | 80.3 | 73.1 | 62.8 | 69.1 | 75.8 | 85.5 | 79.7 | 72.0 | 73.0 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 37.9 | 112.1 | 187.4 | 240.2 | 239.9 | 262.2 | 312.3 | 220.4 | 109.8 | 70.8 | 47.9 | 18.8 | 1,859.7 |
| Percent possible sunshine | 22.4 | 47.0 | 51.6 | 53.2 | 42.0 | 41.9 | 51.2 | 43.3 | 27.9 | 23.3 | 24.3 | 13.9 | 36.8 |
| Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada (rain/rain days, snow/snow days, precipitation/precipitation days and sun 1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
Fauna
Located here is East Bay Migratory Bird Sanctuary which is an Important Bird Area. It is designated as a migratory bird sanctuary, and Key Migratory Bird Terrestrial Habitat.
The bird sanctuary was established 1 January 1959, and consisting of 112,811 ha (1,128.11 km; 435.57 sq mi) it is rated Category IV by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Of its 1,124 km (434 sq mi) in overall size, 286 km (110 sq mi) is a marine area with marine, intertidal, and subtidal components.
Marine mammals
Marine mammals found in the bay include Atlantic walrus (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus), bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus), beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas), bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus), harbor seal (Phoca vitulina), harp seal (Pagophilus groenlandicus), narwhal (Monodon monoceros), polar bear (Ursus maritimus), ringed seal (Pusa hispida), walrus (Odobenus rosmarus).
- ^Scb Listed as special concern by COSEWIC and no status by SARA
Notes
- ^ "East Bay". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada. 23 May 2024.
- ^ ECCC 2020, p. 2.
- ^ ECCC 2024.
- ^ ECCC 2020, p. 11.
- ^ Pickavance, J.R. (September 2006). "The Spiders of East Bay, Southampton Island, Nunavut, Canada". Arctic. 59 (3): 278. doi:10.14430/arctic313.
- ^ "Coral Harbour Nunavut". Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020. Environment and Climate Change Canada. Archived from the original on 10 July 2024. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
- ^ "Coral Harbour A". Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010. Environment and Climate Change Canada. Climate ID: 2301000. Archived from the original on 10 July 2024. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
- ^ "East Bay/Native Bay". bsc-eoc.org. Archived from the original on 12 June 2011. Retrieved 5 May 2009.
- ^ ECCC 2020, p. Table 1: Qaqsauqtuuq Migratory Bird Sanctuary Summary Information.
- ^ ECCC 2020, p. 17.
- ^ ECCC 2020, pp. 18, 19.
References
- Qaqsauqtuuq Migratory Bird Sanctuary Management Plan (PDF) (Report). Environment and Climate Change Canada. 2020. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
- "East Bay (Qaqsauqtuuq) Migratory Bird Sanctuary". Environment and Climate Change Canada. 3 April 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2024.