Moresby Island (Haida: Gwaii Haanas) is a large island (3,399.39 km2 [1,312.51 sq mi]) that forms part of the Haida Gwaii archipelago (formerly known as Queen Charlotte Islands) in British Columbia, Canada, located at 53°04′44″N 132°07′40″W / 53.07889°N 132.12778°W[1] It is separated by the narrow Skidegate Channel from the other principal island of the group to the north, Graham Island.
Gwaii Haanas (Haida) | |
|---|---|
 Haida Gwaii. Moresby Island is the large southern island. Alaska lies north | |
_location_map.svg)  Moresby Island Moresby Island (British Columbia, Canada) | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Pacific Ocean |
| Coordinates | 53°04′44″N 132°07′40″W / 53.07889°N 132.12778°W[1] |
| Archipelago | Haida Gwaii |
| Area | 3,399.39 km2 (1,312.51 sq mi) |
| Administration | |
Canada | |
| Province | British Columbia |
| Regional District Electoral Area | North Coast Regional District Electoral Area E |
| Electoral Area Director | Evan Putterill |
| Largest settlement | Sandspit |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 325 (2021[2]) |
| Pop. density | 0.10/km2 (0.26/sq mi) |
Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site includes Moresby and other islands. The island, together with numerous nearby smaller islands and islets in the southern archipelago, is defined by Statistics Canada as North Coast E, Regional district electoral area, with a population of 325 as of the 2010 census. Almost all of its population, 310 people, resided in the unincorporated community of Sandspit, on the northeast corner of Moresby. The total land area of the electoral area is 3,408.85 km2 (1,316.16 sq mi).[2][3]
Moresby Island is the 175th largest island in the world, and the 32nd largest island in Canada.
On October 27, 2012, the Haida Gwaii earthquake of magnitude 7.7 (the strongest earthquake in Canada since the 1949 Queen Charlotte Islands earthquake) was epicentred at a depth of 17.5 km (10.9 mi) under the island.[4]
Name
editMoresby Island is named for Rear Admiral Fairfax Moresby of the Royal Navy, as is the smaller Moresby Island in the Gulf Islands. The traditional name in the Haida language is Gwaii Haanas,[citation needed] which is the source of the national park name.
Climate
editClimate is from Sandspit Airport.
The island experiences an oceanic (Köppen Cfb) with a rainy season in the colder months, typical for the Pacific Northwest. It is very warm for its high latitude in North America, and its annual average temperature is the same as Port Hardy, which is located almost 3 degrees further south.[5]
| Climate data for Sandspit (Sandspit Airport) Climate ID: 1057050; coordinates 53°15′14″N 131°48′47″W / 53.25389°N 131.81306°W; elevation: 6.4 m (21 ft); 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1945−present[a] | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high humidex | 14.3 | 13.3 | 13.8 | 15.4 | 23.0 | 27.1 | 30.8 | 30.2 | 26.4 | 22.0 | 17.6 | 16.6 | 30.8 |
| Record high °C (°F) | 13.3 (55.9) |
13.4 (56.1) |
14.1 (57.4) |
18.9 (66.0) |
21.7 (71.1) |
26.7 (80.1) |
27.8 (82.0) |
26.7 (80.1) |
24.1 (75.4) |
20.6 (69.1) |
16.3 (61.3) |
13.4 (56.1) |
27.8 (82.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 6.5 (43.7) |
6.6 (43.9) |
7.4 (45.3) |
9.7 (49.5) |
12.5 (54.5) |
15.0 (59.0) |
17.4 (63.3) |
18.2 (64.8) |
16.1 (61.0) |
12.3 (54.1) |
8.7 (47.7) |
6.7 (44.1) |
11.4 (52.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 4.1 (39.4) |
4.2 (39.6) |
4.5 (40.1) |
6.7 (44.1) |
9.7 (49.5) |
12.3 (54.1) |
14.7 (58.5) |
15.3 (59.5) |
13.2 (55.8) |
9.5 (49.1) |
6.1 (43.0) |
4.3 (39.7) |
8.7 (47.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 1.8 (35.2) |
1.7 (35.1) |
1.6 (34.9) |
3.7 (38.7) |
6.8 (44.2) |
9.5 (49.1) |
11.9 (53.4) |
12.4 (54.3) |
10.3 (50.5) |
6.7 (44.1) |
3.5 (38.3) |
1.8 (35.2) |
6.0 (42.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −13.9 (7.0) |
−12.3 (9.9) |
−12.2 (10.0) |
−5.1 (22.8) |
−1.1 (30.0) |
2.2 (36.0) |
5.0 (41.0) |
1.9 (35.4) |
−0.6 (30.9) |
−3.1 (26.4) |
−15.5 (4.1) |
−12.8 (9.0) |
−15.5 (4.1) |
| Record low wind chill | −22.9 | −24.1 | −22.9 | −10.8 | −3.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | −10.7 | −26.0 | −20.8 | −26.0 |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 166.9 (6.57) |
118.1 (4.65) |
118.1 (4.65) |
94.2 (3.71) |
54.2 (2.13) |
49.3 (1.94) |
48.6 (1.91) |
57.6 (2.27) |
78.3 (3.08) |
164.2 (6.46) |
175.3 (6.90) |
197.2 (7.76) |
1,322.1 (52.05) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 157.9 (6.22) |
120.9 (4.76) |
116.5 (4.59) |
93.0 (3.66) |
57.6 (2.27) |
48.3 (1.90) |
48.0 (1.89) |
60.1 (2.37) |
78.9 (3.11) |
166.7 (6.56) |
180.8 (7.12) |
193.4 (7.61) |
1,322.1 (52.05) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 12.0 (4.7) |
3.5 (1.4) |
6.5 (2.6) |
0.4 (0.2) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
1.6 (0.6) |
5.0 (2.0) |
28.9 (11.4) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 22.2 | 18.7 | 22.1 | 20.7 | 16.0 | 14.8 | 15.1 | 13.9 | 17.2 | 22.3 | 23.3 | 25.1 | 231.3 |
| Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 21.1 | 17.8 | 21.1 | 20.2 | 16.2 | 14.8 | 15.0 | 14.4 | 17.3 | 22.6 | 23.2 | 24.0 | 227.6 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) | 2.6 | 1.6 | 2.1 | 0.45 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.87 | 1.6 | 9.1 |
| Average relative humidity (%) (at 1500 LST) | 84.8 | 79.1 | 75.9 | 76.2 | 75.4 | 76.9 | 76.6 | 76.5 | 77.4 | 79.1 | 82.2 | 84.6 | 78.7 |
| Average dew point °C (°F) | 0.6 (33.1) |
1.8 (35.2) |
1.7 (35.1) |
3.6 (38.5) |
6.2 (43.2) |
8.8 (47.8) |
11.1 (52.0) |
11.9 (53.4) |
10.5 (50.9) |
7.2 (45.0) |
3.9 (39.0) |
1.9 (35.4) |
5.8 (42.4) |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 48.6 | 78.1 | 118.1 | 154.6 | 199.1 | 176.8 | 186.6 | 186.8 | 141.8 | 97.9 | 63 | 47 | 1,498.1 |
| Percent possible sunshine | 19.3 | 28.2 | 32.2 | 36.9 | 40.5 | 34.9 | 36.7 | 40.8 | 37.1 | 29.7 | 24.1 | 19.9 | 31.7 |
| Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada[5] (sunshine 1971–2000)[6] (dew point at 1300 LST, 1951–1980)[7] | |||||||||||||
Notes
edit- ^ Composite station metadata: Sandspit Airport AUTO; Climate ID: 1057051; WMO ID: 71101; coordinates 53°14′58″N 131°48′47″W / 53.24944°N 131.81306°W; 6.5 m (21 ft): Sandspit; Climate ID: 1057052; WMO ID: 71111; coordinates 53°15′15″N 131°48′50″W / 53.25417°N 131.81389°W; 6.4 m (21 ft): Sandspit AWOS; Climate ID: 1057055; coordinates 53°15′15″N 131°48′50″W / 53.25417°N 131.81389°W; 6.4 m (21 ft)
References
edit- ^ a b "Moresby Island". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada.
- ^ a b "Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population Profile table: North Coast E, Regional district electoral area (RDA) British Columbia [Census subdivision]". February 1, 2023. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
- ^ "Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population Profile table: Sandspit, Unincorporated place (UNP) British Columbia [Designated place]". February 1, 2023. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey October 28, 2012, Haida Gwaii earthquake
- ^ a b "Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 Station Data". Environment and Climate Change Canada. June 27, 2024. Archived from the original on April 12, 2024. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
- ^ "Canadian Climate Normals 1971-2000 Station Data". Environment and Climate Change Canada. June 27, 2024. Archived from the original on April 12, 2024. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
- ^ "Canadian Climate Normals 1951–1980 Volume 8: Atmospheric, Pressure, Temperature and Humidity" (PDF). Environment and Climate Change Canada. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 9, 2023. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
External links
edit- Community Profile: Skeena-Queen Charlotte Regional District Electoral Area E, British Columbia; Statistics Canada Archived March 10, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- Sandspit unincorporated place, Skeena-Queen Charlotte Regional District Electoral Area E, British Columbia; Statistics Canada Archived March 10, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- Sea islands, Natural Resources Canada Atlas of Canada Archived January 22, 2013, at the Wayback Machine