15 



of fog and average temperatures are given for each month. Because 

 this region, as has been so often mentioned before, is a region of sharp 

 contrast due to the juxtaposition of the warm waters of the Gulf 

 Stream and the arctic waters of the Labrador Current, these data are of 

 little value for climatological studies but are only interesting as a 

 picture of the type and extreme variations in weather that may be 

 expected in this region. Figures 9 to 24 give the observed weather 

 data in detail for the period February to June 1937. 



FEBRUARY 



The weather during this month was boisterous as might be expected 

 at this season. However, only one severe storm passed directly over 

 the area prior to February 20. This disturbance moved east north- 

 east from the Virginia Capes, centered over southeastern Newfound- 

 land, causing west and northwest winds of gale force, force 8 for the 

 most part and at times force 9, for 29 hours on February 8 and 9. 

 Other disturbances caused high winds for short periods, notably on 

 February 6 and 16, southerly winds of force 7 on both occasions. 

 The average temperature for this month was 37.99° F., and the per- 

 centage of fog, visibility less than 2 miles, was 13.9 percent. (See 



fig. 9.) 



MARCH 



The weather during this month was on the whole favorable and was 

 characterized by moderate winds and a large percentage of good visibil- 

 ity. Only one storm of marked intensity passed over the area, giving 

 winds of gale force from March 21 to 25 with an extreme low barom- 

 eter of 28.86 inches. The average temperature for the month was 

 33.6° F., and the percentage of fog, visibility less than 2 miles, was 

 10.4 percent. (See figs. 10 to 14.) 



APRIL 



The weather during the first half of this month was iniiuenced, 

 with one exception, by a great mass uf polar air that flowed south over 

 the North Atlantic in the wake of a deep depression which remained 

 almost stationary about 600 or 700 miles east of Newfoundland from 

 April 1 to 5. This air flowed southward and strengthened the semi- 

 permanent Azorean high, which is usual over the ocean, establishing 

 summer conditions over the North Atlantic for the season. The 

 resulting weather conditions in the Grand Banks area were a pre- 

 dominance of moderate to fresh southwest winds, rain, and a high per- 

 centage of fog. The onlj^ notable exception to these conditions was 

 a wave disturbance originating April 11 in the vicinity of tbe Bahamas 

 and moving rapidly northeastward, arriving over tiie Banks on April 

 13, giving strong northeast winds that day and strong northwest 

 diminishing rapidly on the 14th. During the next week the weather 



