On the occurrence of freezing rain and ice pellets over the eastern Canadian Arctic

Due to its impact on transportation and surface infrastructure, hazardous weather is a major concern to the eastern Canadian Arctic. Freezing rain is one type of hazardous weather and is often closely linked with ice pellets. In this study several datasets (surface observations, rawinsonde data, and model re-analysis products) were used to analyze occurrences of freezing rain and ice pellets at Iqaluit, Coral Harbour, Hall Beach, and Baker Lake between 1980 and 2004. In particular, the frequency of occurrence, synoptic features, vertical atmospheric conditions, and surface conditions associated with freezing rain and ice pellets at the four locations were examined. Freezing rain and ice pellets occurred on average 3–9 times and as many as 29 times per year at these locations. Furthermore, they occurred in a variety of synoptic and surface conditions. Both the classical situation of a greater than 0 °C inversion aloft as well as situations without such inversions were associated with these types of precipitation. There were also distinct differences in vertical atmospheric conditions between the two precipitation types. As well, freezing rain and ice pellets in the eastern Arctic showed both similar and different features from cases in the mid-latitude with Arctic cases generally linked with stronger surface winds and a longer period afterwards of temperatures below 0 °C.