Wind forecasting challenges in the Canadian Arctic due to terrain effects

The public forecast program developed for the Canadian Arctic is quite unique in North America because it was, for the most part, designed to focus on weather conditions in close proximity to isolated communities as opposed to the delivery of more general products intended for larger contiguous regions. As a result, meteorologists in Prairie and Arctic Storm Prediction Centre have the opportunity to add more detail to the forecast that is a direct result of an increased understanding of local effects due mainly to the influence of surrounding landforms. This is especially true for predictions of wind, which will be the focus here. Terrain features that come into play vary from 2500 metre glacier infested mountain ranges to deep fiords to modest valleys, escarpments and hills. Examples of funneled and gap flows, down-slope windstorms, barrier jets, drainage flows and hydraulic jumps, occurring individually and in combination, will be discussed.