Total annual precipitation in Iqaluit, converted to a water equivalent, is 43 centimetres. However, throughout most of Nunavut, cool temperatures mean that snow cover generally doesn't finish melting until June. On most of the land, the only months without snow are June, July and August. Sea ice doesn't finish melting until later. Most rain falls just after the sea ice breaks up, usually between mid-July and the end of August.
Some communities are notorious for occasional extreme winds.
The windchill factor is often more significant than the actual air temperature. Travel to the smaller communities can be severely affected at these times, because pilots must rely on good visibility to approach airstrips that don't have instrument landing systems. In the summer, weather delays can also be caused by strong winds, unpredictable cloud cover, and along a coastline, fog. If outdoor activities such as hiking or boating are on your agenda, make allowances in your plans for days when you'll choose to stay put, rather than travel in terrible, hypothermia-inducing weather. Along the Arctic Circle, half the solar disk remains visible on the northern horizon at sunset on the longest day, and half the solar disk appears on the southern horizon during the shortest day.