ICE CONDITIONS IN 1945 



The trend of wartime conditions in the North Atlantic permitted 

 the independent sailing of merchant vessels by the latter part of 

 May and by mid-June permitted vessels to radio reports of ice and 

 obstructions as sighted. To advise this independent shipping of 

 ice and obstructions endangering the transatlantic routes, the ice 

 information service operating under the United States Atlantic 

 Fleet inaugurated twice-daily broadcasts to shipping commencing 

 on 8 June, 1945. These broadcasts were transmitted by Pwadio 

 Argentia (NWP) at 0200 and 1400 G.C.T. and keyed simultane- 

 ously on 425 kcs, A-2 emission and 8100 kcs, A-1 emission. A 

 surface vessel patrol was also inaugurated in the Grand Banks 

 region. These vessels patrolled the area near the Tail of the Banks, 

 tracking the movements of the southernmost ice and maintaining 

 a continuous radio guard for ice or obstructions reported by other 

 vessels crossing the area. The information thus collected by 

 the patrol vessel was forwarded to Radio Argentia at frequent 

 intervals where it was summarized with information from other 

 sources for the twice-daily broadcasts to shipping. The vessel on 

 ice patrol also furnished special information to shipping on request. 

 To assist this ice information service in estimating currents and 

 probable berg drifts, shipmasters were subsequently requested to 

 report to the patrol vessel their position, course, speed, water and 

 air temperatures, visibility, wind and sea conditions every eight 

 hours when within the area from 39'' to 49° north latitude be- 

 tween 43° and 54° west longitude. Surface isotherm charts have 

 been drawn from the resulting data for the period 1 July to 27 

 August (see figs. 28 to 33). 



For tabulation of reports and discussion of ice conditions during 

 the period from 1 November 1944 to 31 December 1945, the areas 

 have been subdivided as follows : 



J. Sf. Lawrence Area — The lower St. Lawrence River, the Gulf of St. Lawrence 

 east to the Strait of Belle Isle and south through Cabot Strait and the Gut of 

 Canso, and the banks southeast of Nova Scotia. 



2. Newfoundland-Labrador Area — The coastal and offshore waters from the 

 Miquelon Islands over the Grand Banks and Flemish Cap and north to Hudson 

 Strait. Latitude 60 N., on the Labrador coast has been arbitrarily used as a 

 dividing line for tabulation purposes between this area and the Canadian 

 Arctic area. 



3. Canadian Arctic Area — Hudson Bay, Ungava Bay, Hudson Strait and the 

 western part of Davis Strait northward into Baffin Bay. 



4. Greenland Area — Coastal waters along Greenland west coast, around Cape 

 Farewell and along the east coast through Denmark Strait into the Gi'eenland 

 Sea. 



The reports of ice sightings for the period of this report are 

 summarized in four tables entitled "Table of Ice Reports" and with 

 the appropriate area designated in each heading. Monthly ice 



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