FEBRUARY 



During most of the month the sea ice limits remained remarkably 

 static due mainly to above normal air temperatures. Surface winds 

 along the Labrador coast were favorable for the southward transport 

 of icebergs. The first berg arrival on the Grand Banks for the year 

 occurred in mid-February. It was a small berg and it deteriorated 

 within 2 days of crossing 48° N. near the longitude of 48° 30' W. The 

 medium berg aground off Cape Freels since 18 January was finally 

 driven out to sea and groimded near 46° 50' N., 51° W. imtil deteriorat- 

 ing at the end of the month. At the end of February there were only 

 two bergs south of 50° N. and an estimated 100 bergs between 50° N. 

 and 52° N. A second special preseason northern berg survey was 

 conducted on 26 and 28 February. There were an estimated total of 

 900 bergs south of Cape Chidley indicating a potential over seven 

 times as great as that of the 13-14 March 1963 survey. Of special 

 interest were the sightings of several flat tabular bergs about 15 feet 

 hig'h and as long as 2,000 feet. Tliese bergs were believed fragments 

 of the ice island blocking Kennedy Channel last spring and early sum- 

 mer. Five ice island fragments were located near 54° 30' N., 55° W., 

 eleven off Hamilton Inlet, four scattered from Hamilton Inlet to Cape 

 Chidley, and eight close together near 61°15' N., 63°30' W. Details 

 of the northern ice surveys are in another section of this bulletin. It 

 was now anticipated that the 1964 iceberg season would be slightly 

 below normal. Three bergs are estimated to have drifted south of 

 48° N. during February. By the end of February the entire Gulf was 

 covered with sea ice including Cabot Strait. 



MARCH 



At the beginning of March there were an estimated 180 bergs from 

 50° N. to 54° N. With strong northwesterly winds during the first 

 2 weeks these bergs move rapidly at an average rate of 12 miles per 

 day toward the northern Grand Banks, the first concentration arriv- 

 ing there on 13 March. This first wave of 180 bergs was now located 

 between the northern Grand Banks and 50° N. within 75 miles of the 

 east coast of Newfoundland. Would these bergs move to the east in 

 the main branch of the Labrador Current to eventually threaten 

 the major shipping lanes or would they drift south along the east coast 

 of Avalon Peninsula and be eliminated as a threat to the main 

 shipping tracks near the Tail of the Banks ? This question was quickly 

 answered as a series of intense lows passed to the southeast of 

 Newfoundland producing strong northerly air flow for 10 days 

 driving the numerous bergs to the south -south west. Many bergs 

 were driven into Bonavista, Trinity, and Conception Bays and tem- 

 porarily aground along Avalon Peninsula. About 25 bergs were 



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