39 



Superior and thence eastward, later curving to the left, and finally 

 occluding in the direction of Labrador. Another depression moved 

 from near Cincinnati, Ohio, where it had first formed, north-northeast- 

 ward toward Labrador, and finally off the map. 



It was noted this month that there appeared to be an excess of air 

 over North America with the "highs" pushing the low-pressure cen- 

 ters to the northward and easily filling them up. The tendency for 

 the atmospheric high pressure, especially over Nova Scotia and New- 

 foundland during April and the latter part of March, resulted in an 

 abnormal percentage of northeasterly and easterly winds for the 

 Grand Banks region. This condition was doubtless the underlying 

 factor responsible for the iiotable westerly positions of the ice south 

 of Newfoundland during April. A depression followed track G, on 

 Figure 5, from 8 a. m. the 21st until 8 p. m. the 23d, when it disap- 

 peared from the meteorological map in the region of Labrador. 



The next depression of consequence was centered just west of Lake 

 Superior the morning of the 25th. It had advanced to Lake Huron by 

 the morning of the 26th, and from thence it curved to the northeast- 

 ward and finally on the 27tli assumed an elongated shape covering 

 an area from Quebec southward of Nantucket. (See track H, Fig. 5.) 

 A small portion of this area apparently broke away from the main 

 system and drifted southeastward and thence eastward, passing south 

 of the Grand Banks on the 28th instant. We experienced fresh east- 

 erly winds in consequence and more fog than at any period this season. 

 Newfoundland and the Grand Banks vicinity continued to have low 

 atmospheric pressure for the remainder of the month. 



Summing up, we are particularly impressed with the prevalence of 

 easterly and northerly winds this year. This was due primarily to 

 an excess of air which persisted over the Canadian Maritime Provinces 

 and Newfoundland, where in normal season, low pressure usually 

 prevails. This distribution of pressure and the consequent system 

 of winds tended to hold the field ice and bergs nearer the continental 

 slope than they normally would otherwise have drifted. There were, 

 however, only two days, the 17th and 18th, upon which the wind 

 attained gale force. Fog was present 16 per cent of the month and 

 low visibility and fog 22 per cent. 



MAY 



The first week in May was characterized by a relatively large num- 

 ber, and frequency, of centers of low and high pressure. Families of 

 cyclones, four and five in number, appeared on the meteorological map 

 at time of observation instead of two or three as is normally the case, 

 and as these several centers drifted across the ice regions the patrol 

 experienced unsettled and changeable weather. The Modoc, return- 

 ing to the patrol on the 9th instant, stated that similar weather condi- 



