Editing Rankin Inlet (section)

== Geography ==
Rankin Inlet is notable for the chilling wind, severe winter storms, and water resources. The Diana River empties from the north into the hamlet's namesake inlet. The Kivalliq Region has several lakes, the largest being Nipissa Lake, and is flanked by two bays, Melvin Bay on the west and Prairie Bay on the east. Paniqtoq Peninsula, on the inlet's far western shore, provides a barrier shelter for the smaller Kivalliq Region. Dozens of islands dot the inlet, including Thomson Island, the largest, and the Barrier Islands, the longest chain. These natural resources attract tourists who hunt, fish, and canoe. The [[Iqalugaarjuup Nunanga Territorial Park]], {{cvt|10|km}} northwest of Rankin Inlet, is notable for hiking, fishing, bird watching and [[Thule people|Thule]] archaeological sites.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://res.worldviewtravel.com/destinations/guide.rvlx?dg_id=712&dgd_id=15427 |title=Landmarks |publisher=worldviewtravel.com |access-date=26 January 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071105175710/http://res.worldviewtravel.com/destinations/guide.rvlx?dg_id=712 |archive-date=5 November 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nunavutparks.com/on_the_land/igalugaarjuup_park.cfm |title= Iqalugaarjuup Nunanga Territorial Park. |publisher=Nunavut Parks |access-date=26 January 2008 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070608182828/http://www.nunavutparks.com/on_the_land/igalugaarjuup_park.cfm |archive-date= 8 June 2007}}</ref>
[[File:Rankin Inlet, Nunavut.jpg|thumb|center|1000px|Rankin Inlet]]
===Climate===
Rankin Inlet has a [[subarctic climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: ''Dfc''; [[Trewartha climate classification|Trewartha]]: ''Ecld''), just short of a [[tundra]] climate. It is above the [[tree line]]. Temperatures stay below freezing from late September to early June. Although the climate is [[subarctic]], temperatures rise and fall too rapidly and do not stay above {{cvt|10|C}} for long enough (30&nbsp;days) for trees to grow. Under the alternate formula for determining the boundary between Arctic and subarctic climates posited by [[Otto Nordenskjöld]], however, Rankin Inlet, along with [[Arviat]] and [[Baker Lake, Nunavut|Baker Lake]], qualify as Arctic based on the relationship between the temperatures of the coldest and warmest months; in the case of Rankin Inlet, with a coldest-month (January) mean of {{cvt|-30.1|C|}}, said boundary for the warmest month would be {{cvt|12.0|C}} using the Nordenskjöld formula and Rankin Inlet's warmest month (July) averages only {{cvt|10.9|C}}.

Beginning on 16 January 2008, Rankin Inlet endured the longest recorded [[blizzard]] in Canada.{{efn|[[Environment and Climate Change Canada]] defines a blizzard above the tree line as a snowstorm with sustained wind speed above {{cvt|40|km/h}}, visibility {{cvt|400|m}} or under and conditions will last for at least six hours.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ec.gc.ca/meteo-weather/default.asp?lang=En&n=D9553AB5-1#blizzard |title= Blizzard Table 2. Alerting parameters Environment Canada uses for issuing a Blizzard Warning|access-date=12 January 2023|date=29 October 2020}}</ref>}} Wind speed was {{cvt|74|km/h}} or above, with gusts to {{cvt|90|km/h}}, and [[wind chill]] values were as low as {{cvt|&minus;58|C|}}. This blizzard lasted 7&nbsp;days 5&nbsp;hours.<ref>{{cite journal|journal=[[Up Here (magazine)|up here]]|title=Home of the blizzard|date=Oct–Nov 2008|access-date=17 September 2011|url=http://uphere.ca/node/294 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110901000548/http://uphere.ca/node/294 |archive-date=1 September 2011}}</ref>

{{Rankin Inlet weatherbox}}