Paper 12 



In the vicinity of 33 iN/ 80W/^ an area of considerably smaller 

 Ekman transports^ the most unusual condition in 1976 was the 

 relatively strong northeastward transport in June. Such trans- 

 port should have resulted in some upwelling along the Florida 

 shelf. During July the transport shifted to southeastward and 

 '.was stronger farther norths at 35 N'/ 75Wx which could have 

 produced upwelling on the shelf off Georgia and the Carolines. 



&yif of :!!exico (Figs. 12.3 and 12.^) 



The most apparent departure in 1976 from the 10-yr mean condi- 

 tions in the Gulf of Mexico was the strong northwestward 

 transports during the October-December period. These transports* 

 which were Bore westward than normal at all three of the 

 positions portrayed/ are the consequence of unusually strong or 

 persistent northeasterly winds during the early part of the 

 severe winter of 1976-77. These conditions should have produced 

 unusually strong onshore and counterclockwise alongshore flow. 



During January the difference between the transport vectors at 

 27Nr 96W and 27N, 90W/ which usually produces counterclockwise 

 nearshore circulation in the western Gulf (see footnote 2)/ was 

 greater than normal. This condition should have led to more 

 intense nearshore flow to the west and south (counterclockwise). 

 In February and Inarch the difference in transport values between 

 the two positions reversed/ with the stronger value at 27N/ 96W/ 

 including a strona eastward component. This may have caused a 

 reversal in nearshore circulation/ to clockwise/ during February/ 

 a month earlier than normal. 



LITERATURE CITED 



NELSON/ <^ . R ./ M. C. INGHAM/ and W. E. SCHAAF. 



1977. Larval transport and year class strength of Atlantic 

 menhaden/ BLSVQQLlia t^tSQQii- Fish. Bull. U.S. 75:23-41. 



178 



