mean values between these dates. The 1941 values of volume of flow 

 values are shown graphicall>' in figure 5 along wdth the mean variations 

 based on the observations from 1934-41. The solid lines show the varia- 

 tions during 1941 and the broken lines represent the mean values. 

 From figure 5 it will be seen that the volume of flow at the first occu- 

 pation of section W was very close to the mean value for the same 

 date. In previous bulletins of this series, discussions of the seasonal 

 variations in the volume of flow of the Labrador Current in the Grand 

 Banks region have emphasized that there is a seasonal maximum which 

 occurs about the first of May. It has been pointed out by Smith, Soule, 

 and Mosb\'^ that if such a seasonal maximum occurs a possible cause 

 for it is the winter maximum in the barometric pressure gradient across 

 the Labrador Sea. For the last 3 years, 1939, 1940, and 1941, the May 

 maximum in the volume of flow of the Labrador Current in the Grand 

 Banks region has been either poorly defined or absent. It is therefore 

 instructive to examine what happened to the pressure gradient across 

 the Labrador Sea during the winters preceeding these seasons. Figure 

 6 shows the variations in this pressure gradient for the months October 

 to March as given by difi"erences in monthly mean pressures. Belle Isle 



Figure ti. — Barometric pressure gradient over the Labrador Sea, October to March, Belle Isle — Juliaiie- 

 haab for 1966-41 compared with normal gradient shown as solid line. 



3 Smith, Edward H.; Soule, Floyd M.; and Olav Mosby. The Marion and General. Greene Expeditions 

 ^to Davis Strait and Labrador Sea. Sci. Results. U. S. Coast Guard Bull. No. 19, pt. 2, pp. 141 (1937) 

 'Washington. 



