Environment Canada issued a cold warning for the Rankin Region and Whale Cove, Nunavut, on March 25, 2026. Dangerously cold wind chills are expected to reach minus 55 degrees Celsius as temperatures drop and winds pick up throughout the day.
These extreme conditions are a significant concern for the nearly 3,000 residents of Rankin Inlet, which serves as the main business hub for the area. Because the community has no year-round road access, it relies entirely on air travel, making residents vulnerable to flight cancellations and delays during severe weather.
The Kivalliq region is known as the blizzard capital of Canada due to its flat, treeless terrain and high winds. Rankin Inlet currently holds the record for the longest blizzard in the country, which lasted for seven days and five hours in 2008.
Severe weather in the area often results in power outages, and the Qulliq Energy Corporation has previously managed outages in Arviat and Whale Cove during similar storms. Local schools and government offices also frequently close when wind speeds and cold temperatures make it unsafe to be outdoors.
