View source for Prince Patrick Island

{{Short description|Uninhabited island in the Northwest Territories, Canada}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox islands
| name = Prince Patrick Island
| image_name  = PrincePatrickIslandCloseup.png
| image_caption  = Prince Patrick Island, showing<br>the [[Mould Bay Airport|Mould Bay]] weather station
| image_size  =
| map_image = Prince Patrick Island.svg
| map_caption = 
| native_name =
| native_name_link =
| nickname =
| location = [[Northern Canada]]
| pushpin_map             = Canada Northwest Territories#Canada
| pushpin_label           = 
| pushpin_label_position  = 
| pushpin_map_alt         = 
| pushpin_relief          = 1
| pushpin_map_caption     = 
| coordinates = {{coord|76|45|02|N|119|30|12|W|region:CA-NT_type:isle_scale:5000000|notes=<ref>{{Cite cgndb|LATCW|Prince Patrick Island}}</ref>|display=inline,title|name=Prince Patrick Island}}
| archipelago = [[Queen Elizabeth Islands]]<br />[[Arctic Archipelago]]
| total_islands  =
| major_islands  =
| area_km2 = 15848
| rank = 55th
| highest_mount  = unnamed
| elevation_m  = 279
| country = Canada
| country_admin_divisions_title = [[Provinces and territories of Canada|Territory]]
| country_admin_divisions  = [[Northwest Territories]]
| population  = Uninhabited
| population_as_of =
| density_km2 =
| ethnic_groups  =
| additional_info =
}}

A member of the [[Arctic Archipelago]], '''Prince Patrick Island''' is the westernmost of the [[Queen Elizabeth Islands]] in the [[Northwest Territories]] of Canada, lying northwest of [[Melville Island (Northwest Territories and Nunavut)|Melville Island]]. The area of Prince Patrick Island is {{cvt|15848|km2}},<ref>[http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/learningresources/facts/islands.html#queen Prince Patrick Island] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130122002132/http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/learningresources/facts/islands.html#queen |date=2013-01-22 }} at the [[Atlas of Canada]]</ref> making it the [[List of islands by area|55th largest island in the world]] and [[List of Canadian islands by area|Canada's 14th largest island]]. It has historically been [[fast ice|icebound]] all year, making it one of the least accessible parts of Canada. Located at the entrance of the [[M'Clure Strait]], Prince Patrick Island is uninhabited.

The first known sighting of the island was in 1853 by the Irish naval officer [[George Mecham]], when it was explored by him and his fellow Irish explorer [[Francis Leopold McClintock]] in the spring of that year during the [[Edward Belcher]] expedition.<ref name=MDougall>{{cite book
  | last = M'Dougall
  | first = George F.
  | title = The eventful voyage of H.M. discovery ship "Resolute" to the Arctic regions, in search of Sir John Franklin and the missing crews of H.M. discovery ships "Erebus" and "Terror," 1852, 1853, 1854
  | publisher = Longman, Brown, Green, Longmans, & Roberts
  | year = 1857
  | location = London
| url = https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_Bm4SAAAAYAAJ_2| page = [https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_Bm4SAAAAYAAJ_2/page/n501 452]
  | quote = The Eventful Voyages of HMS Resolute.
  }}</ref> Much later, it was named for [[Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn|Prince Arthur William Patrick Albert]], [[Duke of Connaught and Strathearn|Duke of Connaught]], who was [[Governor General of Canada]] from 1911 to 1916.

The island rises to only about {{cvt|279|m}},<ref>[http://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=654 Prince Patrick Island High Point, Northwest Territories]</ref> and the area is [[Seismology|seismically active]].

==Weather Station==
[[File:Mould Bay Weather Station.jpg|left|thumb|The Mould Bay Weather Station in July 2017, more than 22 years following abandonment.]]
[[File:Operational Navigation Chart B-7, 5th edition.jpg|left|thumb|Map including Prince Patrick Island]]
A High Arctic Weather Station ("HAWS") and associated airstrip called [[Mould Bay Airport|Mould Bay]] were opened in 1948 as part of a joint Canada-US military effort to support a [[weather station]] network. Regular weather observations began on May 14, 1948. It had a temporary staff of between 10 and 40 people. Staff size normally increased during summer months, when the station was resupplied from the south.

During the period of US National Weather Service participation, the site was known as a Joint Arctic Weather Station ("JAWS"). Executive officers alternated between Canadians and their US counterparts. US participation ended in 1972. The station was closed in 1997, owing to budget cuts. It was replaced with an automated weather station at a new location on the airstrip, downhill from the central buildings and observatory. The last staffed weather observations were taken on March 31, 1997, ending the continuous weather record of 1948–1997.

The buildings still stand, but as of 2017, most have deteriorated to an unrepairable state.<ref>See [http://groups.msn.com/MouldBayEurekaIsachsenAlert/mouldbayggrabbitt.msnw Mould Bay photographs]{{dead link|date=January 2015}} for types of construction.</ref> The station represented the only known long-term human settlement of the Island.

==Climate==
Mould Bay has a [[Polar climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|ET]]) with cool, intermittent summers and long, severely cold winters. September is the snowiest month of the year, averaging {{cvt|18.5|cm}} of snowfall.
{{Weather box
|metric first= Y
|single line = Y
|location= [[Mould Bay Airport]], 1981–2010 normals, extremes 1948–present
|Jan record high C= -5.3
|Feb record high C= -4.9
|Mar record high C= -6.7
|Apr record high C= -0.5
|May record high C= 6.3
|Jun record high C= 18.0
|Jul record high C= 22.7
|Aug record high C= 16.3
|Sep record high C= 7.8
|Oct record high C= 2.5
|Nov record high C= -1.7
|Dec record high C= -2.6
|year record high C= 22.7
|Jan high C= -29.4
|Feb high C= -30.0
|Mar high C= -27.6
|Apr high C= -19.1
|May high C= -7.4
|Jun high C= 2.9
|Jul high C= 6.7
|Aug high C= 3.0
|Sep high C= -3.8
|Oct high C= -14.1
|Nov high C= -23.1
|Dec high C= -27.0
|year high C= -14.1
|Jan mean C= -33.1
|Feb mean C= -33.9
|Mar mean C= -31.4
|Apr mean C= -23.0
|May mean C= -10.4
|Jun mean C= 0.6
|Jul mean C= 4.0
|Aug mean C= 0.9
|Sep mean C= -6.2
|Oct mean C= -17.7
|Nov mean C= -26.6
|Dec mean C= -30.5
|year mean C= -17.3
|Jan low C= -36.9
|Feb low C= -37.6
|Mar low C= -34.9
|Apr low C= -26.8
|May low C= -13.5
|Jun low C= -1.7
|Jul low C= 1.2
|Aug low C= -1.3
|Sep low C= -8.5
|Oct low C= -21.3
|Nov low C= -30.2
|Dec low C= -34.0
|year low C= -20.4
|Jan record low C= -52.2
|Feb record low C= -53.9
|Mar record low C= -54.7
|Apr record low C= -46.1
|May record low C= -29.6
|Jun record low C= -14.4
|Jul record low C= -3.9
|Aug record low C= -13.5
|Sep record low C= -26.1
|Oct record low C= -38.9
|Nov record low C= -44.4
|Dec record low C= -52.8
|year record low C= -54.7
|Jan chill= -72.8
|Feb chill= -72.0
|Mar chill= -70.1
|Apr chill= -60.5
|May chill= -39.2
|Jun chill= -22.5
|Jul chill= -10.8
|Aug chill= -17.3
|Sep chill= -35.0
|Oct chill= -52.3
|Nov chill= -57.9
|Dec chill= -68.8
|year chill= -72.8
|precipitation colour= green
|Jan precipitation mm= 4.5
|Feb precipitation mm= 4.6
|Mar precipitation mm= 4.2
|Apr precipitation mm= 3.4
|May precipitation mm= 10.8
|Jun precipitation mm= 9.8
|Jul precipitation mm= 13.8
|Aug precipitation mm= 23.8
|Sep precipitation mm= 18.1
|Oct precipitation mm= 12.9
|Nov precipitation mm= 6.7
|Dec precipitation mm= 4.5
|year precipitation mm= 117.2
|rain colour= green
|Jan rain mm= 0.0
|Feb rain mm= 0.0
|Mar rain mm= 0.0
|Apr rain mm= 0.0
|May rain mm= 0.0
|Jun rain mm= 3.6
|Jul rain mm= 10.0
|Aug rain mm= 11.7
|Sep rain mm= 2.2
|Oct rain mm= 0.0
|Nov rain mm= 0.0
|Dec rain mm= 0.0
|year rain mm= 27.5
|snow colour = green
|Jan snow cm= 5.4
|Feb snow cm= 5.8
|Mar snow cm= 5.1
|Apr snow cm= 4.7
|May snow cm= 15.0
|Jun snow cm= 6.6
|Jul snow cm= 3.8
|Aug snow cm= 12.9
|Sep snow cm= 18.5
|Oct snow cm= 16.1
|Nov snow cm= 9.0
|Dec snow cm= 6.3
|year snow cm= 109.2
| humidity colour = green
|Jan humidity= 69.5
|Feb humidity= 67.4
|Mar humidity= 64.6
|Apr humidity= 73.2
|May humidity= 82.0
|Jun humidity= 81.3
|Jul humidity= 79.6
|Aug humidity= 84.8
|Sep humidity= 88.2
|Oct humidity= 80.3
|Nov humidity= 73.3
|Dec humidity= 69.6
|year humidity= 76.1
|unit precipitation days= 0.2 mm
|Jan precipitation days= 6.1
|Feb precipitation days= 6.6
|Mar precipitation days= 6.4
|Apr precipitation days= 4.9
|May precipitation days= 10.1
|Jun precipitation days= 6.3
|Jul precipitation days= 9.0
|Aug precipitation days= 13.3
|Sep precipitation days= 12.8
|Oct precipitation days= 11.6
|Nov precipitation days= 9.6
|Dec precipitation days= 6.9
|year precipitation days= 103.6
|unit rain days= 0.2 mm
|Jan rain days= 0.0
|Feb rain days= 0.0
|Mar rain days= 0.0
|Apr rain days= 0.0
|May rain days= 0.0
|Jun rain days= 2.9
|Jul rain days= 7.8
|Aug rain days= 6.2
|Sep rain days= 1.1
|Oct rain days= 0.0
|Nov rain days= 0.0
|Dec rain days= 0.0
|year rain days= 18.0
|unit snow days= 0.2 cm
|Jan snow days= 6.6
|Feb snow days= 6.9
|Mar snow days= 6.8
|Apr snow days= 5.8
|May snow days= 12.2
|Jun snow days= 4.2
|Jul snow days= 3.4
|Aug snow days= 8.9
|Sep snow days= 12.5
|Oct snow days= 12.2
|Nov snow days= 10.0
|Dec snow days= 7.1
|year snow days= 96.5
|Jan sun= 0.0
|Feb sun= 0.0
|Mar sun= 97.9
|Apr sun= 287.5
|May sun= 267.9
|Jun sun= 297.2
|Jul sun= 254.1
|Aug sun= 121.0
|Sep sun= 49.6
|Oct sun= 15.5
|Nov sun= 0.0
|Dec sun= 0.0
|year sun= 1390.5
|Jan percentsun= 0.0
|Feb percentsun= 0.0
|Mar percentsun= 27.8
|Apr percentsun= 49.9
|May percentsun= 36.0
|Jun percentsun= 41.3
|Jul percentsun= 34.2
|Aug percentsun= 17.4
|Sep percentsun= 11.6
|Oct percentsun= 6.9
|Nov percentsun= 0.0
|Dec percentsun= 0.0
|year percentsun= 25.0
|source 1= [[Environment and Climate Change Canada]]<ref name= "ccn">{{cite web | publisher = [[Environment and Climate Change Canada]] | url = ftp://ftp.tor.ec.gc.ca/Pub/Normals/English/NWT/NWT_AKLA-YELL_ENG.csv | format= CSV (3069 KB)| id = Climate ID: 2502700 |title = Mould Bay A | work = Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200313102709/ftp://ftp.tor.ec.gc.ca/Pub/Normals/English/NWT/NWT_AKLA-YELL_ENG.csv | archive-date = 2020-03-13 | url-status = dead | access-date = 2014-01-09}}</ref><ref name= "July 2001">{{cite web 
| publisher = [[Environment and Climate Change Canada]] 
| url = http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?hlyRange=1997-08-07%7C2016-05-13&dlyRange=1997-08-01%7C2016-05-13&mlyRange=2002-12-01%7C2007-11-01&StationID=27324&Prov=NT&urlExtension=_e.html&searchType=stnName&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2016&selRowPerPage=25&Line=2&searchMethod=contains&Month=7&Day=13&txtStationName=mould+bay&timeframe=2&Year=2001 
|title = July 2001
| work = Canadian Climate Data 
| date=31 October 2011 | access-date = 14 May 2016}}</ref><ref name= "June 2012">{{cite web 
| publisher = [[Environment and Climate Change Canada]] 
| url = http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?hlyRange=1997-08-07%7C2016-05-13&dlyRange=1997-08-01%7C2016-05-13&mlyRange=2002-12-01%7C2007-11-01&StationID=27324&Prov=NT&urlExtension=_e.html&searchType=stnName&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2016&selRowPerPage=25&Line=2&searchMethod=contains&Month=6&Day=13&txtStationName=mould+bay&timeframe=2&Year=2012 
|title = June 2012
| work = Canadian Climate Data 
| date=31 October 2011 | access-date = 14 May 2016}}</ref><ref name= "August 2011">{{cite web 
| publisher = [[Environment and Climate Change Canada]] 
| url = http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?hlyRange=1997-08-07%7C2016-05-13&dlyRange=1997-08-01%7C2016-05-13&mlyRange=2002-12-01%7C2007-11-01&StationID=27324&Prov=NT&urlExtension=_e.html&searchType=stnName&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2016&selRowPerPage=25&Line=2&searchMethod=contains&Month=8&Day=13&txtStationName=mould+bay&timeframe=2&Year=2011 
|title = August 2011
| work = Canadian Climate Data 
| date=31 October 2011 | access-date = 14 May 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web 
|title = Daily Data Report for March 2017 
| date = 31 October 2011
| access-date = 10 March 2017
| url = http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?hlyRange=1997-08-07%7C2016-05-13&dlyRange=1997-08-01%7C2016-05-13&mlyRange=2002-12-01%7C2007-11-01&StationID=27324&Prov=NT&urlExtension=_e.html&searchType=stnName&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2016&selRowPerPage=25&Line=2&searchMethod=contains&txtStationName=mould+bay&timeframe=2&Day=13&Year=2017&Month=3# 
|publisher = Government of Canada}}</ref>
}}

==In popular culture==
Prince Patrick Island is the setting for a work of fiction, the novel ''The Lost Ones'' (1961) by [[Donald G. Payne|Ian Cameron]] (Donald G. Payne). It was filmed as the [[Walt Disney Pictures]] film ''[[The Island at the Top of the World]]'' in 1974. The novel tells of a lost colony of [[Viking]]s living in a lost valley in the island, which, thanks to the [[volcano]]es on the island, is warm and habitable.

==See also==
* [[Royal eponyms in Canada]]

==References==
[[File:Wfm prince patrick island.jpg|thumb|NASA landsat image of Prince Patrick Island]]
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
{{Refbegin}}

* Frebold, Hans. ''Fauna, Age and Correlation of the Jurassic Rocks of Prince Patrick Island''. Ottawa: E. Cloutier, Queen's printer, 1957.
* Harrison, J. C., and T. A. Brent. ''Basins and fold belts of Prince Patrick Island and adjacent areas, Canadian Arctic Islands''. [Ottawa]: Geological Survey of Canada, 2005. {{ISBN|0-660-19008-7}}
* Miller, F. L. ''Peary Caribou and Muskoxen on Prince Patrick Island, Eglinton Island, and Emerald Isle, Northwest Territories, July 1986''. [Edmonton]: Canadian Wildlife Service, 1987. {{ISBN|0-662-15652-8}}
* Pissart, A. ''The Pingos of Prince Patrick Island (760N - 1200W)''. Ottawa: National Research Council of Canada, 1970.
* Tedrow, John C. F., P. F. Bruggemann, and Grant Fontain Walton. ''Soils of Prince Patrick Island''. Research paper (Arctic Institute of North America), no. 44. Washington: Arctic Institute of North America, 1968.

{{Refend}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Prince Patrick Island}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140407080346/http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/toporama?center=-610269.00762377,3138368.4485762&zoom=6 Prince Patrick Island in the Atlas of Canada - Toporama; Natural Resources Canada]
* [http://www.arctic.uoguelph.ca/cpe/environments/maps/detailed/islands/prince_patrick.htm Prince Patrick Island] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190916171617/http://www.arctic.uoguelph.ca/cpe/environments/maps/detailed/islands/prince_patrick.htm |date=2019-09-16 }} on the ''Canada's Arctic'' website.

{{Queen Elizabeth Islands}}
{{Beaufort Sea Islands}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Uninhabited islands of the Northwest Territories]]
[[Category:Islands of the Beaufort Sea]]
[[Category:Islands of the Queen Elizabeth Islands]]
[[Category:Former populated places in the Inuvik Region]]