Hudson Bay: Subarctic, Not Arctic Circle

Hudson Bay lies south of the Arctic Circle. Its southern shore (~51°N) is 900+ miles (1,500 km) below the Circle (66°33′N). The bay sits in the subarctic zone—cold, but not polar.

• Climate: Dfc (subarctic) to ET (tundra) on northwest coast. Winter ice cover (Nov–Jun); summer SST 5–10°C.
• Ecology: Polar bears (western shore), beluga (summer), caribou, migratory birds. No permanent human settlements on coast.
• Drainage: 3.8M km² basin—Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Nunavut, ND, SD, MN, MT.

The Arctic Circle crosses the Canadian mainland far north of Hudson Bay—on the Boothia Peninsula, Somerset Island, and Ellesmere's tip.