Comparison of climatic conditions during the second International Polar Year (1932-1933) with contemporary conditions (1991-2020) in northern Canada

The International Polar Years (IPYs) are significant because they established large‑scale, coordinated scientific research initiatives focused on the Arctic and Antarctic, enabling participating countries to collect synchronized geophysical and meteorological data that would not have been attainable through individual expeditions (Barr, Lüdecke 2010). The Second International Polar Year (1932–1933) led to substantial advancements in meteorological science through a network of synchronized observations in the Arctic. Its primary objective was to improve the understanding of atmospheric processes not only within the polar regions but also in the context of the global climate system.

This study examines the variability of climatic conditions during the Second International Polar Year (IPY) of 1932–1933 in northern Canada. Data from five meteorological stations were used for the analysis: Coppermine, Chesterfield, Cape Hope Advance, Nain, and Makkovik. Data for the first three stations were obtained from The Canadian Polar Year (1940), whereas information for Nain and Makkovik was taken from Climate Data (2022). Meteorological observations at the latter two stations were carried out by Moravian missionaries who operated religious missions in the region. The study analyzed several climate elements: air temperature, wind speed, atmospheric pressure, air humidity, precipitation, cloud cover and others.

Historical climatic conditions during the Second IPY were compared with those of the contemporary reference period 1991–2020, using data from meteorological stations in Kugluktuk and Nain. Modern datasets were accessed through the Historical Climate Data repository of the Government of Canada (https://climate.weather.gc.ca/).

The work was supported by the National Science Centre, Poland, project No. 2020/39/B/ST10/00653.

 

Reference:

Barr S., Lüdecke C., 2010, The History of the International Polar Years (IPYs), Series: From Pole to Pole, Springer Berlin, Heidelberg, pp. 318

Canadian Polar Year Expeditions 1932-33, Meteorology, 1940, Division of Meteorological Services

Climate Data from the Overseas Stations of the Deutsche Seewarte (German Marine Observatory) in Canada, 2022, DWD, Marine Climate Monitoring, Hamburg