Boston Lightship (Figure 4, Table 4) 



Winter and spring surface water temperatures were slightly above 

 the mean until mid-June, when the region experienced substantially- 

 reduced air temperature anomalies which were reflected in the surface 

 water. Summer surface water temperatures closely follow the weather 

 regimes of July, August and September. The cold weather of July and 

 early August changed abruptly on the 11th and 12th, introducing a 

 record sequence of consecutive hot days . At the end of August the 

 heat moderated briefly, but was followed by a second heat wave with 

 southerly winds; the middle decade in September gave New England 

 air temperatures that were 12 °F below normal, and sea water temperatures 

 declined. Nevertheless, the mean surface water temperature for the 

 month was the highest since 1890. Surface temperatures remained above 

 the mean through December. 



Bottom water temperatures were low during January, February and 

 March when the water column appeared more thoroughly mixed than in 

 previous years. Mixing again was responsible for the bottom maximum 

 in mid-September when northeast winds on the 15th and 16th briefly 

 stirred the water column. The thermocline was not permanently destroyed 

 until mid-November. 



January through March salinities were high in comparison to the 

 three previous years. The minimum, the result of spring runoff, appeared 

 in early May and was followed by a second low reflecting the wet weather 

 of June. 



21 



