water and air temperatures. See figure 16 for the maximum and 

 minimum pack ice limits and ice reports during the month. 



The ice conditions in the Gulf of St. Lawrence were less severe 

 than average. There was open water through the North Cabot 

 Straits, the North Gulf and the Lower River St. Lawrence from the 

 start of the month. Although the steamer track into the river was 

 encumbered at times by patches and belts, ships were able to make 

 passage throughout the month. There was a steady movement of 

 ice from the Central and Southern Gulf through Cabot Strait mostly 

 along Cape Breton. Although ice conditions in the Gulf were allevi- 

 ated by this movement, Cabot Strait was largely ice encumbered most 

 of the month. By the end of the month except for some scattered 

 pack ice in the southern Gulf, pack ice in Cabot Strait and around 

 Cape Breton, and pack ice in Belle Isle Strait, the Gulf was for the 

 most part ice free. An unusual occurrence was the large number of 

 bergs and growlers reported from Cabot Strait just below 48° N. to 

 the north along tlie west coast of Newfoundland. It is estimated 

 'that two bergs crossed 48° N. in the Gulf. 



MAY 



The intense stationary low centered east of Newfoundland at the 

 start of the month produced strong northerly winds for 6 successive 

 days. The remainder of the offshore bergs east of Newfoundland 

 were driven rapidly to the south at a rate of about 35 miles per day. 

 One berg located at 47°25' N., 47°20' W. on 29 April moved south 

 to 43°24' N., 49°14' W. by 5 May, a distance of about 265 miles in 6 

 days or 44 miles per day, due to a combination of wind drift and 

 drift from the Labrador Current. It is estimated that 20 bergs 

 drifted south of 48° N. in 1 day on the 1st of May. No additional 

 bergs moved south of 48° N. until the very end of May. Thus, in 2 

 days, 30 April-1 May, an estimated 60 bergs drifted south of 48° N. 

 or about half the year's total. There were about 70 bergs south of 

 48° N. at this time with the majority close to Avalon Peninsula. 

 The climax was reached on 5 May with the southernmost and eastern- 

 most penetration of icebergs for the year. The southernmost berg 

 was the one mentioned previously and the easternmost berg was 

 located at 45°45' N., 45°30 W. From 5 May until near the end of 

 the month, the hmits of icebergs gradually receded as the dangerous 

 bergs that had drifted east and south in warmer water quickly dis- 

 integrated. On the other hand, those many bergs that had been 

 driven south along the Avalon Peninsula and to the southeast, south 

 and southwest of Cape Race disintegrated much more slowly as some 

 of these bergs were larger and the coastal waters were cooler than 

 the mixed water east of the Grand Banks. It was observed that 

 small bergs disintegrated within 5 days upon reaching 40° F. water, 

 and medium size bergs lasted approximately 10 days in 40° F. water. 



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