Yellowknife: Difference between revisions

=== Climate ===

Yellowknife has a [[subarctic climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: ''Dfc''). Although winter is predominantly polar, rapid [[heat wave]]s emerge at the summit of summer due to the immense path south.<ref>{{cite web|title=The High Subarctic Forest-Tundra of Northwestern Canada: Position, Width, and Vegetation Gradients in Relation to Climate|publisher=University of Calgary|first1=K.P. |last1=Timoney|first2= G.H. |last2=la Roi |first3=S.C. |last3=Zoltai |first4=A.L.|last4=Robinson|url=http://pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/arctic/Arctic45-1-1.pdf|year=1991 |access-date=2 March 2008|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The city averages less than {{cvt|300|mm}} of precipitation annually, as it lies in the [[rain shadow]] of mountain ranges to the west.<ref name="YZFccn"/> Due to its location on Great Slave Lake, Yellowknife has a frost-free [[growing season]] that averages slightly over 100&nbsp;days.<ref name="ulaval">{{cite web|url=http://www.cen.ulaval.ca/paleo/publications/Articles/Pienitz.1997b.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080409145807/http://www.cen.ulaval.ca/paleo/publications/Articles/Pienitz.1997b.pdf |archive-date=9 April 2008|title=Physical and chemical limnology|publisher=University of Laval|access-date=2 March 2008|df=dmy-all}}</ref> In an occasional year, the first fall frost does not come until October.<ref>[https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?hlyRange=1953-01-01%7C2013-01-17&dlyRange=1942-07-01%7C2013-01-16&mlyRange=1942-01-01%7C2007-11-01&StationID=1706&Prov=NT&urlExtension=_e.html&searchType=stnName&optLimit=specDate&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2019&selRowPerPage=25&Line=0&searchMethod=contains&Month=9&Day=25&txtStationName=yellowknife&timeframe=2&Year=2012 Yellowknife Airport daily weather September 2012]</ref> Most of the limited precipitation falls between June and October, with April being the driest month of the year and August having the most rainfall. Snow that falls in winter accumulates on the ground until the spring thaw.

[[File:Ice Fog in Yellowknife.jpg|thumb|left|Heavy [[ice fog]] can develop on the coldest winter mornings]]

Yellowknife experiences very cold winters and mild to warm summers. The average temperature in January is around {{cvt|-26|C}} and {{cvt|17|C}} in July.<ref name="YZFccn"/> According to [[Environment and Climate Change Canada]], Yellowknife has the sunniest summer in the country, averaging 1,034&nbsp;hours from June to August.<ref name=weatherwinners>{{cite web|url=http://www.climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/winners/categorydata_e.html?SelectedCategory=43&submit=Submit |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121216035648/http://www.climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/winners/categorydata_e.html?SelectedCategory=43&submit=Submit |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 December 2012 |title=Sunniest Summer |work=Weather Winners |publisher=Environment Canada |access-date=15 May 2013 }}</ref> The lowest temperature ever recorded in Yellowknife was {{cvt|-51.2|C}} on 31 January 1947, and the highest was {{cvt|32.6|C}} on 2 August 2021.<ref name="YZFccn"/> Yellowknife averages 2256.5&nbsp;hours of bright sunshine per year or 43.5% of possible daylight hours, ranging from a low of 15.4% in December to a high of 63.0% in June.<ref name="YZFccn"/> Due to its warm summer temperatures, Yellowknife is well below the Arctic [[tree line]] in stark contrast to areas farther east in Canada on similar parallels.