ICE CONDITIONS 1962 



JANUARY 



Weekly preseason aerial observation flights in the area between lati- 

 tudes 48°30' X. to 52° X. and between longitudes 49° W. to 54° W. 

 showed that this area was free from ice until the end of the month. 

 On the 30th a flight determined the southern limits of the pack ice at 

 50°30' X. and the eastern limits at 53° W. The pack ice varied from 

 open to close to 53° X^., but north of this latitude the pack was solid. 

 Eleven bergs and numerous growlers were sighted between 52° X. 

 and 53° X. in the vicinil}'- of 54° W. Over 40 bergs and numerous 

 growlers were sighted between 53° X. and 55° X. in the vicinit}- of 

 55° W. The annual movement of ice toward the Grand Banks of 

 Newfoundland and the trans-Atlantic shipping lanes was underway 

 for 1962. The fu'st report of ice for the year was on the 29th when 

 the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Oimsco reported two large bergs and a 

 few unidentified radar targets, presumablv bergs, in the vicinity of 

 53°15' N., 52° W. 



The limits of the pack ice and the position of the groups of bergs 

 sighted were normal for this time of the year. Xewfoundland and 

 Labrador had experienced a mild autumn and early winter, but Janu- 

 ary was normally cold with northwest surface winds prevailing. 



The Gulf of St. Lawrence had experienced a mild early winter and 

 the ice was slow in developing. Except for some local formation of 

 slush and young winter ice, the Gulf was for the most part free from 

 ice and navigable until the end of the month when a couple of frigid 

 cold speUs caused a rapid formation and thickening of the ice over 

 most of the Gulf. Belle Isle Strait was navigable until about 25 

 January. 



FEBRUARY 



On 5 Februar}^ the limits of the sea ice in the form of scattered 

 patches and strings were determined to be from 49°30' X"., 53°30' W. 

 to 49°45' X., 52°50' W. to 50°47' X., 51°50' W. then north. No 

 bergs were sighted in the vicinity of these limits. On the 14th the 

 southeast boundarj^ of the pack ice was at 49°43' X'., 52° "W. As of 

 this date there were no known bergs south of 50°50' X. and east of 

 53° W. below 50°50' X. By 22 February, the pack ice had moved 

 south to 48°20' X^. and east to 51° W., representing an average south- 

 east movement of 6 miles per day since the end of Januar3\ Five bergs 

 were sighted in the area bounded by latitudes 50° X., 52°30' X". and 

 longitudes 51°10' W., 52°30' W. There were 22 bergs between 

 49°30' X. and 50°30' X. along 53° W. 



From the 22d to the end of the month, there were reports indicating 

 a rapid movement of the sea ice to the southeast. On the 27th, the 

 M/V Topdalsfjord reported scattered strings of ice from 10 miles 



