Planes and helicopters can't fly in the wind and poor visibility. Even walking into the wind is difficult for a person here on the ice.
Winds are the major weather problem here.
The winds make the ice and snow close down roads and passes. The winds can move ice and snow away from one area into a drift five or six feet high, and it still looks flat. Trucks, tractors, and skidoos can end up stuck in these snow drifts, if not worse. Today was supposed to be 'Sea Ice School' for me. Since I will be living out on sea ice when I join my team, I must go through this course.