Pangnirtung

A brief but intense January warm spell in the eastern Arctic pushed temperatures far above normal, bringing rain and melting snow/ice in places like Pangnirtung, Nunavut. Residents reported unusual midwinter clam digging, hazardous icy walking conditions after refreezing, and disrupted winter activities due to thin sea ice.

During a Grade 11 outdoor education fishing trip near Pangnirtung on May 22, a student unexpectedly harvested his first polar bear after the animal repeatedly approached their campsite.

A skier was evacuated to an emergency shelter before being transported by snowmobile to Pangnirtung’s health centre. The incident occurred early Thursday morning and the skier is receiving treatment, with no update on their condition.

Things were returning to normal in Pangnirtung on Monday after an extreme winter storm left parts of the community without electricity for close to four days.