Weather
in Labrador, Canada With its rugged rock and,
bleak fiorded coast, and largely unexplored
interior, Labrador is one of the most unspoiled
parts of Canada. Its climate may be described
as somewhere between inhospitable and invigorating.
The
Climate here is more Arctic than Atlantic. Because
it is on the Eastern side of the continent,
it experiences strong seasonal contrast in the
characteristics and movements of air masses.
The predominant flow is off the land. The rugged
Torngat Mountains in the North, with peaks above
1200 Metres, confine the moderating influence
of the Atlantic Ocean to the Rocky Islands and
near shore.
The
limitation of the oceans influence, however,
is not a serious disadvantage, because in this
region its effect on the climate is generally
unpleasant. The Labrador Sea is infested with
floating pack ice and icebergs for eight months
of the year. The masses of ice keep sea temperatures
below 4 Celsius. An east wind off the Labrador
current is a cool wind in Summer, often with
light rain or drizzle.
Temperature
The
Summer season is brief and cold along the coast
because of the cold Labrador current. July average
temperatures are from 8 to 10C along the coast
but are 3 to 5C warmer in the interior. The
pleasantness of the summer day along the coast
is often determined by the wind direction--westerly
winds bring clear, mild continental air, whereas
easterlies, blowing off the Labrador Current,
bring cold, cloudy, and moist weather.
Precipitation
Precipitation
is heaviest in the south and decreases northwards.
On the whole it is much lighter than in Newfoundland,
although amounts can vary considerably from
year to year.
Southern
Labrador is not unlike the moist northern shores
of Newfoundland, with 500mm, as a typical yearly
rain fall. Over much of Labrador 400 mm is a
more typical amount. In Summer, rainfall is
quite reliable, with seasonal totals seldom
less than 175 mm in the north and 275mm in the
south.
invigorating.
