Alert Canada – Alert, Nunavut Canada

There is a place in Canada where there are only 5 recorded inhabitants — that place is Alert Canada. Alert is only 817 kilometres (508 mi) from the North Pole.

The Olympic Torch en route to the now ongoing 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver passed through Alert on 9 November 2009.

Alert Location: 82.5017 N, 62.3297 W, 210 m asl (689 ft asl)

Alert Facilities: The Meteorological Service of Canada (MSC) weather station is collocated with the Canadian Forces Station (CFS) installation, while the Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) station is about 6 km to the SSW.

Station Mission/Purpose: At 82.5º North, at the northeastern tip of Ellesmere Island, Alert is well-positioned to sample the background chemistry of the Arctic. Regular launches of meteorological and ozone radionsondes make Alert an important station among the IASOA stations.