56 INTERNATIONAL ICE OBSERVATION AND ICE PATROL SERVICE. 



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fields away from the Labrador coast and the coasts to the northward 

 and drive them southward. The same winds drive the Newfound- 

 land bay and shore ice away from the coast and offshore to meet 

 the ^irctic drift ice. These winds also bring "cold waves," which, 

 with their low temperatures, cause new ice to make quickly inshore, 

 which, in turn, is blown offshore and is packed up on that already 

 there. The St. Lawrence drift is augmented by the northwesterly 

 winds, which form temporary sm^face di*ifts and probably cause the 

 field ice to extend south to Sable Island. The foregoing shows why 

 there was so much field ice this year. In connection with the preva- 

 lence of northwesterly winds during the past winter, as shown on 

 the February chart (chart "H"), it is interesting to note the effect 

 produced upon the climate of Newfoundland. The chart shows that 

 the northern branch of the Gulf Stream was farther north this year 

 than at the same time last year. If south and east winds had pre- 

 vailed this winter, as they did last winter, with the Gulf Stream 

 lying so far north, the climate of Newfoundland would have been 

 milder than a year ago. The mildness of the winter in 1921 was 

 principally due to the predominance of southeasterly wdnds, which 

 carried the w-arm air over the Gulf Stream to the northw^ard. The 

 predominance of northwest winds in 1922 rendered nil the heating 

 effect of the large reservoir of warm water to the southeast of New- 

 foundland and resulted in cold weather in that region. 



MARCH. 



Attention is invited to the oceanographical chart for the period 

 between March 13 and 18, 1922 (chart "i"). 



The Seneca sailed from Halifax, Nova Scotia, March 13, 1922, on 

 ice-observation w^ork, with its attendant scientific investigations. 

 Bergs and growlers w^hich were found drifting southward around the 

 Tail of the Bank required a continuous patrol, wliich was inaugurated 

 on March 2 1 . 



On the run from Halifax to the Great Bank the temperature of 

 the sea w^ater fluctuated between 38° and 45° F., but upon reacliing 

 the 57th meridian the temperature rose to 54° F. Proceeding to the 

 eastward the temperature dropped to 38° F., but again rose to 52° 

 F. in long. 53° 40' W. At 53^ W. long, the temperature of the sea 

 water began to drop, and it continued to grow colder as the west 

 slope of the Grand Banks was approached. The variations in the 

 temperature of the surface of the sea are graphically indicated on the 

 oceanographical chart, which shows a shaded warm-\vater thermal 

 extending far north into the cold-water area west of the Great Bank. 

 The usual break in direction of the Gulf Stream to the north along 

 the 47th meridian was observed. 



Oceanographical conditions in general liad not changed materially 

 from those observed during the cruise of February 8-2G, 1922. The 

 "cold wall," represented by the shaded cross-hatched isotherm of 

 approximately 55° F., had not changed position on its southern and 

 western sides. On the eastern side, in lat. 42° N., long. 48° W., the 

 warm water had progressed farther to the westward. The area of 

 cold water, temperature of 3^° F.. liatl extended, how^ever. southward 

 nearly CiO miles and was found to be closely and compactly butted 

 against the warm water of the Gulf Stream. This agrees with the 



