Climate | Ice | Water circulation

The Saguenay fjord has a particular geographical environment. Although it is not under arctic influence, it has the climate of a northern region with its astonishing temperature variations.

The seasons that highlight the irregular topography and the proximity to the Saint-Lawrence River produce a highly variable climate at different altitudes.

In winter, the ice that covers the fjord waters moves with the tides that may reach an amplitude of five (5) metres.

Deeply chiselled in the Laurentian Mountains, the fjord blends its freshwater with the seawater of the Atlantic Ocean. If these two waters of the Saguenay fjord were placed in a bottle and observed, you would notice two very distinct layers similar to the vinegar and oil layers in salad dressing. Since the densities of these waters are different due to their salinity and temperature, the warmer freshwater originating from Lac Saint-Jean slips over the denser cold seawater of the Saint Lawrence River.

© Copyright Musée du Fjord 2002.