Arviat, Nunavut is in for a cloudy and damp week, with light drizzle starting things off and more showers expected through the weekend. Environment Canada is calling for periods of rain and showers, with temperatures staying below the usual August highs.
As of early Wednesday afternoon, the weather station at Arviat Airport was recording light drizzle, a temperature of 10.8°C, and winds from the north-northeast at 19 km/h. Visibility was holding at 24 km, but fog could reduce that, especially through Wednesday night and Thursday morning.
The forecast for the week shows little change. Wednesday will be cloudy with a 60 percent chance of showers. Thursday brings cloudy skies and a 30 percent chance of morning showers. Friday and Saturday will see periods of rain and showers, with highs reaching only 11°C on Wednesday and Friday, and Saturday a touch warmer at 12°C. That is well below the normal August high of 17°C. Overnight lows will dip to around 7°C, matching the seasonal norm.
No weather alerts are in effect for the community, but residents with outdoor plans should be ready for wet conditions. A shift toward sunnier weather is not expected until Tuesday, August 11, when Environment Canada predicts a mix of sun and cloud with a high of 16°C.
This cool and unsettled stretch is not unusual for August, which is historically the wettest month in Arviat with about 60 mm of rain. The hamlet, located on the western shore of Hudson Bay, is home to about 2,800 people and is Nunavut’s southernmost mainland community. Hunting and fishing remain central to daily life here, and weather like this often means keeping rain gear handy and staying flexible with plans out on the land or water.
