Same gat Lightship 



Minimum surface temperature of 3^°? occurred during the last 

 third of January. Surface temperatures remained less than hO until 

 during the first third of April. The vernal warming la'^ged behind the 

 mean for the per-" od of record 19U7-1956 imtil the end of June. Maximiim 

 temperatures of 7!5°'F were observed during the first third of September 

 followed by autumnal cooling virtually identical with the mean for the 

 period of record. 



The thermocline commenced development in April, reached its 

 maximtim in July, Maximum temperature at the bottom of nearly 6U°F was 

 reached in early October when the autumn TDverturn reached the bottom fol- 

 lowing which the temperature in the water column was essentially isother- 

 mal for the remainder of the year. 



The surface salinity commenced at the beginning of the year at 

 slightly above 32° /OO, gradually descended to a minimum of just over 

 30°/00 during mid-June and gradually recovered tc just \inder 32°/00 by 

 year end. Bottom salinities remained, for the most part, in the vicinity 

 of 32°/00. Surface and bottom salinities took an unexplained jump in the 

 last third of October to 33°/00. 



Figure 12. ^arnegat lightship, 19^6. (Dashed line in upoer diagram, mean for oeriod 

 19)47-1956) - . > 



66 



