Researchers team up with Northerners in hopes of creating more accurate forecasts for the North
Project targets N.W.T. communities of Sachs Harbor, Tuktoyaktuk and Ulukhaktok
Researchers have been coming to communities in the Beaufort Delta since 2013, asking residents one question: "How does weather affect what you are doing?"
They are trying to come up with a better way to predict weather in these communities, because research shows northern weather forecasts are not detailed enough. The University of Victoria project is focusing on the N.W.T. communities of Sachs Harbor, Tuktoyaktuk and Ulukhaktok.
David Atkinson, associate professor in the department of geography at the University of Victoria, said community knowledge is key to their research since community members "have a culture of observing."
I'm hoping Environment Canada learns a thing or two about what the people on the ground are reporting for weather.- Manny Kudlak
He said the project has been driven by the people in the communities.
The researchers have also teamed up with Environment and Climate Change Canada.
They are choosing a local research assistant from the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation as well as from each of the three communities. The assistants will go to Edmonton and Victoria in December to learn more about weather forecasts.
"People from the communities will see how the forecasts are being done and we'll establish that two-way linkage between the communities and met(eorological) service of Canada," said Atkinson.
People don't trust long-term forecasts
Armel Castellan is a warning preparedness meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada. He joined Atkinson and fellow researchers on their most recent trip up North.
Castellan said community members have told him they're worried about bringing families out on the land because they don't trust the long-term weather forecasts that are provided.
"They're getting hotter weather in the summer, they're getting stronger blizzards," he said. "They're on the land so they are much more vulnerable to the weather. So it's really important to cater to their lifestyle."
He said his department is looking to revamp and improve services across Canada, and part of that push is an effort to create technology that is meant specifically for northern weather.
"We are trying to tailor our forecasts to the realities of each location," he said.
Hopes gov't learns 'a thing or two'
Manny Kudlak is the community corporation manager for Sachs Harbor, and was selected to be the research assistant for the community.
Kudlak said he worked at the airport for about 10 years, and found that there was an error rate for the weather forecasts of "being 60 per cent wrong and 40 per cent right."
"I'm hoping Environment Canada learns a thing or two about what the people on the ground are reporting for weather …the weather phenomenon we have up North, they never really happen down south," he said.
Kudlak said growing up, he would go out on the land and deal with any of the unpredictable weather, but the younger generation has become more fearful.
He said he hopes his trip south in December will allow him to help his community in the future.
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