that the ice threat in the Grand Banks area for the season of 1950 had 

 virtually disappeared and the activities of the ice patrol were termi- 

 nated for the season of 1950 on 26 June. The total number of bergs 

 estimated south of the 48th parallel for 1950 was 460 as compared 

 with a 50-year average of 433. 



ICE CONDITIONS NORTH OF 50° N. 



Any discussion of ice conditions north of 50° X. is restricted in 

 scope because of the scarcity of reports. The movement of the ice 

 and departures from average conditions will be discussed with refer- 

 ence to the Ice Atlas of the Northern Hemisphere. 



The reports received in January for the Strait of Belle Isle area, 

 indicated that pack ice was 60 miles seaward of the average limits and 

 that Notre Dame Bay was covered with consolidated pack ice. 

 March was practically devoid of reports ; only one aircraft flight was 

 made in this area and it reported numerous bergs within the pack ice. 

 Pack ice was 40 to 60 miles seaward of the average limits. In April 

 the limits were about average but as noted in the discussion of ice 

 conditions for April the southern limits were further north than usual. 

 The month of ^lay was marked by a rapid disappearance of ice in the 

 Notre Dame Bay area. The limits of pack ice were bounded by a line 

 from 49°00' N., to 52°00' W., to 51°00' N., 54°30' W., on 6 May and 

 by 30 May the limits were defined by a line from St. Barbe Island to 

 52°30' N., 54°00' W. Isolated patches of drift ice were reported in 

 Notre Dame Bay on 6 June and thereafter no reports were received of 

 drift ice in this area. The first report of a ship navigating the Strait 

 of Belle Isle that was received by the ice patrol was that from the 

 U. S. C. G. C. Sorrel which reported bergs in 51°47' N., 55°51' W., 

 and 51°44' N., 56°05' W., on 9 June and that there was no drift ice 

 in the Strait of Belle Isle. A final reconnaissance flight made in this 

 area on 13 June sighted icebergs as far east as 49°00' W., at 51°00' N. 

 With the disappearance of pack ice in the Belle Isle area reports were 

 received of bergs entering the Strait of Belle Isle and reaching southern- 

 most positions in the vicinity of 51 °25' N., 56°40' W. Offshore, bergs 

 were reported as far east as 49°00' W., in latitude 51°35' N., although 

 the majority of bergs were west of 51 ° W. The offshore limit of bergs 

 for July was defined by a line from 50°00' N., 50°00' W., to 53°00' N., 

 52°00' W., with the exception of bergs reported on the 19th m 52°30' 

 N., 49°30' W. Numerous bergs were reported along the coast of Labra- 

 dor and in the Strait of Belle Isle in June and July but in August no 

 reports were received of ice in the Strait of Belle Isle. Bergs offshore were 

 moving to the eastward and reached extreme easterly positions in the 

 vicinity of 5r00' N., 48°00' W., on 31 August. On 3 September a 

 berg was reported m 51°35' N., 46°37' W., and it was thought that 

 this berg was one of those sighted 31 August in 51°00' N., 48°00' W. 

 Subsequent reports were too few in number to confirm this movement 



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