THE 1965 DATA 



Surface Temperature (fig. 1) 



Minimum surface water temperatures occurred in February at the 

 northern observation posts. At the remaining posts there was a tendency 

 toward double minima such that the very lowest decads occurred in January, 

 February, or March without much regularity of pattern. The cold periods 

 were, in general, longer at the northerly stations, however. Correspondence 

 was usually good with air temperatures. 



The surface water temperatures at Diamond Shoal were far below 

 normal in January, February, and March. These low water temperatures were 

 accompanied by subnormal air temperatures but not by excessive precipitation 

 (cf. 1958). 



The vernal warming was steady in most areas and was earliest 

 in the south. 



The maxima came in late July at Portland and Boston, in 

 September at Chesapeake and Diamond Shoal, and in August at the remaining 

 stations. At the more northerly stations the maxima were well marked in 

 comparison with those of 1964. The correspondence with air temperature 

 was generally good. The autumnal cooling was gradual and orderly at most 

 observation posts and began earliest in the north. 



Bottom Temperatures (fig. 1) 



The lowest bottom temperatures were coincidental with those at 

 the surface except at the more northerly lightships where the minima at 

 these two levels were less sharply marked. 



The maxima occurred between mid-September and late October. 

 During the summer there were reversals of the warming along the middle 

 Atlantic coast that were associated with wind (Chase 1959). 



Surface Salinity 



The effect of the extended drought (U.S. Department of Commerce 

 and US. Department of Agriculture 1965) on salinities along the Middle 

 Atlantic and New England coasts has been analyzed by Bumpus (1967). He 

 found that from 1960 through 1965 there was a general rise in the annual 

 average of salinity at most of the observation posts from Portland 

 Lightship to Five Fathom Bank Lightship. The upward trend was particu- 

 larly noticeable in the record of annual minimum salinities; whereas 

 annual maximum salinities showed little year to year change. 



1.- 



