Isachsen, Nunavut

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Coordinates: 78°46′60″N, 103°31′60″W

Isachsen was a remote arctic research station on the western shore of Ellef Ringnes Island in the Sverdrup Islands, in the territory of Nunavut in Canada. It was founded to participate in a joint Canada-United States weather program. Isachsen operated from April 3, 1948 to September 19, 1978.

In the 1950s Isachsen was a joint U.S.-Canadian weather station primarily taking radiosonde soundings. Along with soundings from similar stations such as Mould Bay, Eureka, and Alert this information was used to complete the North American data primarily used to forecast weather over the North Atlantic and long range forecasts for Europe.

Isachsen was an isolated location with the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) flying in supplies in the late spring and again in the early fall from a base at Resolute on Cornwallis Island. Resolute was supplied by sealift using cargo ships led by icebreakers in late summer. Isachsen's 8 man staff consisted of 4 Americans and 4 Canadians. The U.S. supplied two weather personnel, a cook, and a mechanic. Canada supplied two weather personnel and two radio operators as all communications was by shortwave radio using morse code. Fuel oil (diesel) for the electrical generators, building heaters and cooking were shipped to the site by aircraft in 45 Imperial (UK) gallon (55 U.S. gallon, 205 litres) barrels.

In the summer of 1958 the camp was rebuilt with prefabricated buildings flown in along with about a dozen construction personnel. The sun sets in October and it is totally dark for about three months with temperatures from -25 °F to -60 °F (-32 °C to -51 °C). In the summer the sun is visible above the horizon 24 hours for about three months with temperatures from about 45 °F to 60 °F (7 °C to 16 °C).

There are no trees or shrubs this far north in the Arctic. There is only moss, lichen, and tiny flowers. Wildlife is limited to Polar Bears, arctic fox and muskox.

In 1956, a government plan was scrapped to resettle Inuit people at several high Arctic locations, which included Isachsen, Alert, Eureka, and Mould Bay. If the plan had proceeded, a permanent town would have been established at Isachsen.

On October 31, 1971 the United States withdrew its participation in the weather program at the site, and this led to its decommissioning in 1978. An Automated Surface Observing System was placed at the site in 1989, linked by satellite. Isachsen is uninhabited.

According to the Environment Canada Climate Severity Index, Isachsen and the surrounding area has the worst weather in Canada with a CSI value of 99 out of a possible 100.^[1]

Photos of the remains of Isachsen Station can be seen on the Hilux Arctic Challenge website,^[2] taken by the Top Gear team on their trip to the nearby 1996 North Magnetic Pole in May 2007.

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