Current. Surface air temperatures for the Grand Banks and New- 

 foundland east coast remained below normal. 



As the Azores High was in its normal July location, winds aver- 

 aged southwesterly over the Grand Banks and northward. See Fig- 

 ure 44, mean sea level pressure chart for July 1964. The gradient was 

 fairly tight over the southern Grand Banks with a gradual loosening 

 to the northwest. As winds were relatively light and sea temperatures 

 below normal, bergs survived longer than usual this time of the year 

 near the northern Grand Banks. Winds were nevertheless of suffi- 

 cient strength and direction to drive the declining survivors out of the 

 Labrador Current to the north of Flemish Cap, thereby removing them 

 as a threat to the major shipping lanes farther south. 



The discussion of the weather w^ith its characteristic and distinc- 

 tive weather patterns during 1964 and its effect on ice conditions amply 

 demonstrates the close relationship between the weather and resultant 

 ice distribution. 



NORTHERN ICE SURVEYS 



GENERAL DISCUSSION 



The systematic preseason northern ice surveys by aerial reconnais- 

 sance, begun in January 1963, were continued in 1964. The major 

 objective of these preseason surveys is to forecast the character of 

 the forthcoming Grand Banks iceberg season by determining the ice- 

 berg potential upstream. A secondary objective is to learn more 

 facts about icebergs, including progressive location and distribution, 

 travel time, drift rates, mortality rates, survival percentages, deteri- 

 oration, and other characteristics. Other secondary objectives in- 

 clude the determination of sea ice conditions in order to learn and 

 understand their correlation with iceberg conditions and the develop- 

 ment of the relationship between iceberg conditions and climatology. 

 Two 1964 preseason northern surveys were conducted, the first during 

 3-5 December 1963 from Newfoundland to Cape Dyer, Baffin Island 

 and the second during 26-28 February from Newfoundland to Cape 

 Chidley, Labrador. 



After termination of the 1964 International Ice Patrol there was 

 an increase in northern ice reconnaissance. A systematic monthly 

 determination of ice conditions for the entire Grand Banks-New- 

 foundland-Labrador area was commenced in September. The main 

 objective was to maintain year-round cognizance of ice conditions 

 from the Grand Banks to northern Labrador. Secondary objectives 

 included the eventual establishment of average monthly iceberg dis- 

 tribution from the Grand Banks to northern Labrador, the determi- 

 nation of monthly sea ice conditions and correlation with iceberg 

 distribution, and the obtaining of more general facts about bergs, 

 their drift and deterioration as related to climatological and oceano- 

 graphic factors. 



68 



