Residents of Arviat are being advised to prepare for hazardous travel conditions as Environment Canada forecasts snow and blowing snow to hit the community on Monday, April 20, 2026.
The weather system is expected to bring 5 to 10 centimetres of snow to the hamlet. Southeast winds of 40 km/h, with gusts reaching up to 60 km/h, are also expected, which will likely create poor visibility and difficult conditions for those travelling by snowmobile.
Conditions in the community have been cold and sunny leading up to the storm. As of Sunday, April 19, 2026, temperatures were near -23.9°C with a wind chill of -34. With wind chills expected to remain in a range where exposed skin can experience frostbite within minutes, residents are encouraged to take necessary safety precautions.
As a community that is only accessible by air and snowmobile, Arviat is particularly sensitive to severe weather disruptions. Reliable air service remains a critical lifeline for medical evacuations and the delivery of essential supplies when storms prevent travel.
The upcoming weather serves as a reminder of the community’s vulnerability to the extreme Arctic winter storms that have impacted the Kivalliq Region in recent years. In November 2023, the hamlet of Arviat declared a state of emergency following a blizzard that caused widespread power outages and resulted in a fatality.
According to research into Arctic weather, extreme winds and storms may become more frequent in the region. This highlights the ongoing need for continued local preparedness and adaptation strategies to support the roughly 2,864 residents of this Inuit hamlet.
