Five Fathon Bank Lightship (Figure 12, Table 12) 



The vjam conditions seen in December of the previous year 

 (Buit^jus, 19^7) continued through Januarj' of i-957j and it was not until 

 February that temperatures fell abruptly and become conparable to the 

 mean. The minimum occui-red in Febriiary \n.th tenperatiires less than iil'F. 

 Throughout the spring tenperatures vere consistently above those for 1956 

 and comparable to the mean till mid-Ilay when they were higher. The sum- 

 mer maximum at the surface probably occurred at the end of July with 

 readings greater than 7U°F. 



The bottom maximum which surely occurred at the time of the 

 autumn overturn was missed. The intrusion of cold bottom water in late 

 June and early July was accompanied by a drop in surface temperatures 

 both here and at other stations. 



During January, February^and December, salinities were somewhat 

 belovj the 1956 readings; for the other months they were appreciably 

 higher, showing little difference between surface and bottom values. 



69 



