| Wabush | |||
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| — Town — | |||
| Town of Wabush across Jean Lake | |||
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| Motto: "Terra Progredimur" (Latin) "From the earth we prosper" |
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| Coordinates: | |||
| Country | Canada | ||
| Province | Newfoundland and Labrador | ||
| Census divisions | 10 | ||
| Settled | 1955 | ||
| Founded | 1962 | ||
| Incorporated | April 11, 1967 | ||
| Government[1] | |||
| • Type | Municipal incorporation | ||
| • Mayor | Ron Baron | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 46.25 km2 (17.9 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 560 m (1,837 ft) | ||
| Population (2006)[2] | |||
| • Total | 1,739 | ||
| • Density | 37.6/km2 (97.4/sq mi) | ||
| Website | Town of Wabush | ||
Wabush is a small town in the western tip of Labrador, known for transportation and iron ore operations for over three decades (1967 to 2007).
Wabush is the twin community of Labrador City. At its peak population in the late 1970s, the region had a population of just over 22,000. Today Wabush's population (2006) is 1,739. Most residents continue to work in the nearby mines: Wabush Mines[3] and Iron Ore Company of Canada.
While remote, the town does contain modern amenities. There is a shopping center (Which includes a post office, bank, a women's department, a restaurant, a bar, and a snowmobile store) recreational center (that includes a bowling alley, gymnasium, swimming pool, a teen center, and a weight lifting room) ice arena, a library, a legion building that serves alcoholic beverages, a furniture store, several playgrounds, a school, a church, two corner stores, a hotel (which also includes a restaurant, a barber shop, and a bar). In nearby Labrador City, there is a modern indoor shopping centre which includes a Walmart.
Air transportation needs for the twin communities are served by Wabush Airport and seasonally by Wabush Water Aerodrome. It used to get more frequent service by Air Gaspé, which was acquired by Quebecair in 1973. The latter ended as an independent business in 1986, acquired in turn by CP Air in 1986 and Canadian Airlines in 1987. Currently the area is serviced by Air Canada (Air Canada Express & Expolits Valley Air Service), Provincial Airlines, Pascan Air and Air Inuit.
Companies in and around Wabush include:
Contents |
Like most of Labrador, Wabush has a subarctic climate (Köppen Dfc) with precipitation much higher than usual for this type of climate due to the persistent Icelandic Low, which give the region some of the rainiest and snowiest weather in all of Canada. Especially in summer, cloudiness is very high due to the lakes nearby and the unstable northerly airstreams that prevail, but because the town is relatively far from the open sea sunshine is higher than even in St. John’s due to the absence of fog from the Labrador Current. Snow usually melts off in May.
| Climate data for Wabush, Newfoundland and Labrador (Wabush Airport) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 14.3 (57.7) |
6.2 (43.2) |
14.7 (58.5) |
16.7 (62.1) |
28.4 (83.1) |
33.3 (91.9) |
32.6 (90.7) |
30.6 (87.1) |
27.8 (82.0) |
21.1 (70.0) |
12.2 (54.0) |
5.6 (42.1) |
33.3 (91.9) |
| Average high °C (°F) | −17 (1) |
−14.2 (6.4) |
−7 (19.4) |
2.4 (36.3) |
8.8 (47.8) |
15.9 (60.6) |
18.9 (66.0) |
17.5 (63.5) |
10.8 (51.4) |
2.9 (37.2) |
−4.7 (23.5) |
−13.5 (7.7) |
1.6 (34.9) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −28.4 (−19.1) |
−27.1 (−16.8) |
−20 (−4) |
−10.1 (13.8) |
−1.8 (28.8) |
4.6 (40.3) |
8.5 (47.3) |
7.3 (45.1) |
2.8 (37.0) |
−3.7 (25.3) |
−12.4 (9.7) |
−23.6 (−10.5) |
−8.7 (16.3) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −43.9 (−47.0) |
−47.8 (−54.0) |
−46.7 (−52.1) |
−37.2 (−35.0) |
−21.7 (−7.1) |
−11.1 (12.0) |
−6.7 (19.9) |
−0.6 (30.9) |
−7 (19.4) |
−21.7 (−7.1) |
−33.1 (−27.6) |
−46.1 (−51.0) |
−47.8 (−54.0) |
| Wind chill | −62.8 | −57.1 | −52.6 | −41.8 | −32.6 | −9.6 | −4.3 | −6.2 | −13.9 | −25.6 | −43.9 | −59.5 | −62.8 |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 54.0 (2.126) |
41.7 (1.642) |
57.4 (2.26) |
56.7 (2.232) |
55.8 (2.197) |
84.8 (3.339) |
111.5 (4.39) |
95.4 (3.756) |
95.8 (3.772) |
73.5 (2.894) |
68.2 (2.685) |
56.8 (2.236) |
851.6 (33.528) |
| Rainfall mm (inches) | 0.5 (0.02) |
1.6 (0.063) |
3.1 (0.122) |
11.9 (0.469) |
40.4 (1.591) |
82.3 (3.24) |
111.5 (4.39) |
95.4 (3.756) |
89.3 (3.516) |
36.9 (1.453) |
6.8 (0.268) |
2.9 (0.114) |
482.6 (19) |
| Snowfall cm (inches) | 66.4 (26.14) |
48.7 (19.17) |
64.8 (25.51) |
52.5 (20.67) |
16.5 (6.5) |
2.6 (1.02) |
0 (0) |
0.1 (0.04) |
6.8 (2.68) |
42.0 (16.54) |
75.3 (29.65) |
70.2 (27.64) |
445.7 (175.47) |
| Avg. precipitation days | 17.5 | 14.4 | 16.3 | 15.1 | 14.7 | 16.9 | 19.4 | 19.0 | 20.3 | 20.2 | 20.0 | 19.0 | 212.8 |
| Avg. rainy days | 0.5 | 0.7 | 1.5 | 3.9 | 11.5 | 16.3 | 19.4 | 19.0 | 18.8 | 8.9 | 3.0 | 0.9 | 104.4 |
| Avg. snowy days | 17.5 | 14.4 | 16.1 | 13.3 | 6.1 | 1.4 | 0 | 0.1 | 3.4 | 15.5 | 19.5 | 19.2 | 126.5 |
| Sunshine hours | 92.4 | 124.5 | 150.1 | 166.2 | 205.8 | 206.3 | 211.7 | 199.3 | 108.0 | 71.8 | 56.9 | 68.0 | 1,661 |
| Source: Environment Canada [4] | |||||||||||||
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