| Summary: | In the Canadian arctic, winter roads are engineered across the frozen land, rivers, and lakes. The strength and longevity of these roads depends on particular weather conditions. Our research focuses on the winter road between Tulita and Norman Wells, Northwest Territories, open since 1982. The opening dates for the winter road are statistically analyzed. Five extreme early-opening years and five extreme late-opening years are determined and subsequently compared to both surface weather observations and large-scale synoptic structures prior to the opening dates for these years. Results show extreme late years are strong El Nino seasons, and extreme early years are colder and have more precipitation during November, than the 1971--2000 climatology. The analysis of meteorological conditions near Norman Wells, associated with the extreme opening dates for this winter road, provides planners with more precise information germane to this road construction.
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