Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories, is in for an unusually cold week ahead, with temperatures well below normal for early June and a mix of snow, rain, and possible freezing rain through Tuesday afternoon. Environment Canada says daytime highs will struggle to reach 1°C most days, with an overnight low of -4°C Tuesday night, before a warm-up to 11°C by Thursday.
As of late Monday morning, light snow was falling at the Tuktoyaktuk Airport, where conditions sat at 0.1°C with 97% humidity and visibility down to 2 km. Forecasters expect the snow to ease by the afternoon, leaving about 2 cm on the ground, then another 2 cm could pile up Tuesday before skies clear in the evening. The risk of freezing rain Monday night adds an extra layer of caution for anyone heading out.
These temperatures are a sharp drop from the June normals of 13°C highs and 3°C lows. While no weather alerts are in effect, the chill is a reminder of how quickly conditions can turn in this Inuvialuit hamlet of about 965 people on the Arctic Ocean. Tuktoyaktuk sits at the top of the Northwest Territories, where permafrost and coastal weather often keep life unpredictable.
The cold snap follows a rough start to the month. Just last week, the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway was shut down for a day after a washout, cutting off the only all-weather road to the community. Mayor Erwin Elias said the repeated closures are “really frustrating” for residents who rely on the 138-km route for supplies and travel. A Department of Infrastructure spokesperson said the road reopened quickly, but the latest forecast could bring more challenges.
Thursday is expected to bring some relief, with sunny breaks and a high of 11°C. For now, the community is hunkering down through a wintry stretch that feels more like April than June.
