You may have also noticed in the Seasonal Temperature Learning Tool. that there are some interesting exceptions to the general trend of greater seasonal temperature variation as you move farther from the ocean. For instance, both Thunder Bay and Toronto display lower seasonal temperature variations than might be expected, because both are located on the shore of a Great Lake. Another exception is Labrador City. In the learning tool, compare the seasonal temperature variation of Labrador City and its distance from the ocean to other cities.
Your Turn
The Seasonal Temperature Learning Tool. shows that Labrador City is quite close to the Atlantic Ocean, but it experiences large seasonal temperature swings. Why do you think Labrador City experiences large temperature variations even though it is close to an ocean? Hint: Labrador City is the northernmost city shown in the learning tool - what does this tell you about the condition of the ocean that is near to Labrador City?
Because Labrador City is found far to the north, the part of the ocean that is closest to this city is frozen over for a significant amount of time each year. When the ocean is frozen, it is less able to moderate the temperature of Labrador City, resulting in large temperature variations.