Paper 11 



DATA ON COLD WEATHER CONDITIONS ALONG THE ATLANTIC AND 

 GULF COASTS DURING THE FALL AMD WINTER OF 1976-77' 



J. Lockwood Chamberlin and Reed S. Armstrong 



The cold we 

 Gulf Coast 

 will undoub 

 res our ces 

 effects on 

 regard ing 

 and su rv iva 

 survival of 

 parts of th 

 young of 

 overwi nter 

 should be o 

 can best be 

 know ledge o 

 the va ri ous 

 condi t ions 



INTRODUCTION 



ather conditions that prevailed along t 

 during the winter of 1976-77 and the 

 telly have significant effects on the 

 and environment. Favorable as well 

 resource species are/' of course/- readi 

 their distribution^ migration^ reprod 

 I. For example^ the fall-winter spawn i 



some northern species may be enhanced 

 eir ranges. Conversely/^ there may be 

 such species as menhaden and white sh 



in estuaries. Consideration of po 

 n a species-by-species and region-by-re 



given by the individual scientists who 

 f the life histories and physiological 



species/ and familiarity with the 

 in the regions where they work. 



he Atlanti 

 preceding 

 marine f i 

 as unfavo 

 ly conce i 

 uctionr gr 

 ng and I 

 in the sou 

 da mage to 

 ri mp where 

 ssible ef 

 gion basis 



have sp 

 requiremen 



e nvi ronm 



c and 

 fall 

 she ry 

 rab le 

 vab le 

 ow t h / 

 arva I 

 t hern 

 the 

 they 

 f ect s 

 r and 

 ec i a I 

 ts of 

 enta I 



This report presents air temperature anomaly data for selected 

 weather stations/ in order to describe the severity/ duration/ 

 and distribution of the cold conditions along the entire coast. 

 Some discussion of possible effects on estuarine and coastal 

 waters is included. 



'This paper was released in Tianuscript form as a NMFS Marine 

 Environmental Notice/ 22 February 1977. Data were derived from 

 Weekly Weather and Croe Byiietin/ Vol. 63 (for 1976) and Vol. 64 

 (for 1977)/ prepared jointly by U.S. Department of Commerce/ NWS/ 

 NOAA/ and U.S. Department of Agriculture/ Statistical Reporting 

 Service; and Locgl C li ma tologic al Data/ Annual Summaries for 

 "•975/ Parts I and 11/ U.S. Department of Commerce/ 

 Climatic Center of Environmental Data Service/ NOAA. 



'Atlantic Environmental Group/ National Marine 

 Service/ NOAAy N ar raqanset t / RI 02882. 



National 

 Fisheries 



167 



