'Nineteen degrees above average is enormous'

This past week, snow and ice in Kuujjuaq melted away under sunny skies, as record-breaking, above-normal temperatures swept over the community.

The spring heat wave started on May 2, when the temperature of 14.6° broke the previous record of 14°C set in 1963.

On May 4, a high temperature of 19.3°C was recorded in Kuujjuaq. This broke a record high of 15.8°C for May 4 that was set back in 1999.

The all-time low for that date is -15.6°C, set back in 1956.

Temperatures for May 4 in Kuujjuaq usually range between -7.2 and 1°C.

During the spell of warm weather, the UV index stood at five. Under Environment Canada guidelines, that means people should wear sunglasses and sunscreen, cover up with clothing and a hat, and seek shade around midday when the sun is most intense.

By 10 a.m., on Monday, May 5, the temperature of 12.9°C at the Kuujjuaq airport had already broken the previous high for the date, 12.1°C, set in 1987.

According to Environment Canada, last Sunday Kuujjuaq, along with Gaspé, were the two warmest places in Quebec that day – and Gaspé, east of Quebec City, is usually much warmer than northern Quebec.

René Héroux, a meteorologist with Environment Canada in Montreal, said temperatures that are many degrees higher than the normal average are extremely significant, particularly when temperatures stay above average.

"Only if the rest of the month turns out to be much cooler, we wouldn't see an impact on the monthly statistics. Everything's possible. But if temperatures remain above average at the end of the month, the beginning of the month will have an impact – 19 degrees above average is enormous," Héroux said.

Chilly, cold conditions are generally the norm for May in Kuujjuaq, where weather records have been kept in 1947.

In 1972, a wind chill of -30.6 C was recorded in early May, while in May of 1985, there was still more than 115 centimetres (about four feet) of snow on the ground in Kuujjuaq.

But climate models used to predict the impacts of global warming say Nunavik temperatures may rise 5 to 10°C by 2100.