broadcasts. However, the absence of bergs on the Banks and the sparsity 

 of pack ice prechided forecasting ice conditions. 



The 4Tth International Ice Patrol was exceptional, marked by 

 great variations from tlie predominant surface weather patterns, 

 preceded by intensive hurricane force winds in the Newfoundland area 

 and by a radical departure from the normal oceanographic regime. It 

 was concluded as the shortest season on record without one iceberg liav- 

 ing drifted south of latitude 48° N. The United States-European 

 North Atlantic Track Agi'eement Tracks C and D were not shifted 

 south as scheduled due to the absence of ice. Only strings of tield ice 

 drifted into Canadian-European Track F. Track E remained com- 

 pletely free of ice. 



Track G was free of ice until mid- January and was open for the safe 

 passage of shipping by early June. Bergs continued to persist in the 

 Straits of Belle Isle until July. The steamer track from Cabot Strait 

 to the St. Lawrence River ports was declared of^en on 15 April 1966. 



Dissemination of ice information by the International Ice Patrol 

 ceased on 28 April 1966. Periodic postseason ice reconnaissance flights 

 were continued to guard against any stray berg reaching the tracks and 

 were discontinued in June due to the utter absence of bergs to the 

 north that could pose any threat to shipping. All ice reconnaissance 

 flights were discontinued in June and the U.S. Coast Guard Air Sta- 

 tion Argentia and the International let Patrol Ai-gentia were disestab- 

 lished. The International Ice Patrol was transferred to New York and 

 resumed its operations. Aircraft were then deployed to Argentia from 

 the U.S.C.G. Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C., as warranted. Berg 

 census flights of western Baffin Bay were conducted in September and 

 Decemljer. 



The most significant factor contributing to the low presence of 

 bergs north of the Grand Banks was the tracks of the low pressure 

 systems during December 196.5 and January 1966. It was observed 

 that most low pressure sj-stems were passing well south of their 

 normal path. This placed them passing south of Newfoundland and 

 approximately 600 to 900 nautical miles southeast of Greenland. The 

 surface winds over the North Atlantic varied greatly from the norm 

 with strong southeasterly winds predominant for these 2 months. These 

 surface wind patterns over the mid-North Atlantic were distinctive 

 enough to permit applying generalized applications of wind driven 

 ocean circulation theories. 



Theoretical considerations indicated a strong, wind-driven ocean 

 circulation of warm water and mass transport of warm water from 

 the eastern mid-NortJi Atlantic northward. This warm water would 

 develop a stronger than nomial Irminger Current component, reinforce 

 the West Greenland Current, and develop a shallow gyre of relative 

 warm water in the Labrador Sea. Lateral mixing of this gyre with 



