GULF OF MEXICO 



91 



tines, and other weathei- features of the Gulf of 

 Mexieo, The average wind velocity varies fioni 

 ti to 8 knots in the summer, with the stronj^er winds 

 in the southeast portion, to 10 to 12 knots with 

 considerable variability in the winter, the higher 

 averages being in the northeastern portions. 



P^og is most frequent in midwinter when as 

 high, as U) percent of all observations record light 

 or dense fog in the north central part of the Gulf. 



In this season fogs occur less than 1 percent of the 

 time in the soutiieastern portion. 



For the year-round the average cloud-cover 

 over the Gulf is Yio to %o of the sky obscured. 

 In winter and sjjring the areas most obscured are 

 in the north and northwest, while in the summer 

 and fall the southern and southwest portions have 

 the highest average cloud cover. The most 

 commonly reported low type clouds are cumulus 



. AVERAGE SEA LEVEL PRESSURt (INCHES) 

  AVERAGE AIR TEMPERATURE CFl 



WIND: Arrows flv with the wind Lenoth of 4Rrow oivE9 percent of total observations to 



SIXTEEN points OF THE COMPASS. BARBS SHOW FORCE ON BEAUFORT SCALE. FlOuRE IN CEHTCR 

 OF CIRCLE GIVES PERCENTAQE OF lIOHT, VARIABLE WINDS 



10 20 30 40 50 60 TO BO 90 100 



SCAUE OF WINO PERCENTASES 



Figure 18. — Average sea level pressure (inches) and average air temperature (°F.), July. 



