¥iye Fa^thom Bank Lightship (Figure 13, Table 13) 



A cold winter, retarded vernal wanning, a cool summer and cool autumn 

 characterize the surface temperature pattern at Five Fathom Bank. The winter 

 minimum of 35.3 F in late February was about 5 below the mean; the summer 

 maximum of 73.1 F was '"normal", though of brief duration. Surface temperatures 

 in mid-July showed a depression; this had been preceded by slight cooling near 

 the bottom in June. From July through the rest of the year the bathythermograph 

 was not lowered all the way to the bottom and readings had to be made at 75 feet 

 rather than at 85 feet. Nevertheless, the influence of hurricanes Daisy and 

 Helene showed up clearly at the lesser depth; this sequence of events is 

 commented on in the section on Bottom Temperature. Observations at this station 

 became more and more sporadic as the autumn progressed and no means could be 

 derived. What data there are are given in the table. 



Early in January salinity values were higher than any previously seen at 

 this station. They rapidly declined, however, and from late April on were 

 generally loxi^er than those for 1956 and 1957. 



66 



