Hammered by blizzards for days, parts of Kivalliq in Nunavut start to emerge

Though conditions are now improving, blizzards in the Kivalliq region of Nunavut have dumped piles of snow on several communities and hampered municipal services over the past week.

Hamlet offices in Arviat, Baker Lake and Rankin Inlet were forced to close Tuesday, along with other government offices and services, due to the weather.

Ronnie Suluk, who lives in Arviat, described seeing 15-foot-high snow drifts on his walk to the grocery store Tuesday morning.

"I thought to myself, I haven't seen snow drifting that high for years and years," he said.

"We've been doing a lot of shovelling every day, trying to keep our doorway open."

Arviat, Rankin Inlet and Baker Lake have all had multiple blizzards in the past week — not unusual for this time of year, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada meteorologist Jesse Wagar, though the length of them is remarkable.

"I would say we're going on ... almost four days for blizzard conditions in Arviat by the time all is said and done," Wagar said. "That is a pretty extended period of time to be experiencing blizzard conditions."

Arviat has been under a blizzard warning since March 16.

Wagar said the blizzards stem from several low-pressure systems that have been moving into the area, which originate further south, swing up toward Baffin Island and then cut toward the west.

"This last one has been particularly strong," she said, noting it affected parts of the Kitikmeot as well.

Though those conditions have improved in some areas, Wagar said significant amounts of blowing snow are still present.