MAY 



East of Newfoundland a rapid recession of pack ice occurred during 

 the first week in May so that by the 8th only rotting patches remained 

 south of latitude 49° N. and this was restricted to Trinity and Bonavista 

 Bays. Moderate to heavy field ice remained north of Cape Freels but 

 extended no further east than longitude 54° W. except for a belt of heavy 

 pack protruding eastward along the 50th parallel as far as longitude 

 51°40' W. This easterly belt appears to be common feature to this region 

 especially during the period when the ice limit is retreating. Reference 

 can be made to figures 5-8 in Bulletin Xo. 44 of this series (1958 season) 

 where a similar pattern is presented. It is doubtless related to an eastward 

 diversion of the inshore portion of the Labrador Current at the shelf 

 around the Cape Freels-Funk Island-Fogo Island region. 



Ice in the northeast arm of the Gulf of St. Lawrence also receded rapidly 

 during the first week in May. By the 9th all Newfoundland west coast 

 ports south of latitude 50° N. were open, and by the 20th the entire Gulf 

 and western approaches to the Strait of Belle Isle was clear. 



On 20 May aerial observation showed that field ice south of Belle Isle 

 along the east coast had shrunk into a coastal zone lying north of latitude 

 50° N. and west of longitude 55° W. Northward of Belle Isle the pack 

 remained heavy, its boundary extending approximately northeast from 

 Belle Isle to as far seaward as longitude 52° W. 



A severe cyclonic storm 22-25 May brought strong northerly winds 

 which backed to the west. The result of this storm was that the ice in the 

 Notre Dame and White Bays of Newfoundland was driven seaward and 

 again drifted southeasterly past Cape Freels and reached its greatest 

 extent about 28 May at position 49° N. 52°40' W. Greater consequence 

 of the blow, however, was a sudden southward movement of held ice off 

 the Labrador Coast from about latitude 52°30' N. on 22 May to 51° N. 

 on 28 May. The Strait of Belle Isle, Newfoundland and southern Labra- 

 dor coasts had been cleared of ice at the month's end, but large field lay 

 offshore out of sight of the coastal stations whose reports were conveying 

 ice free impressions. 



Iceberg drifts the first week in May remained much as they had been 

 in the latter part of April. The northern slope of the Banks continued to 

 fill up with bergs and at the week's end many were reported to be round- 

 ing Cape Race and drifting to the westward. About a dozen bergs drifted 

 south of the 43d parallel during this week and for the most part remained 

 in the vicinity of the Tail-of-the-Bank. At least three rounded the Bank 

 and commenced a westward drift on the opposite slope. Such a drift is 

 relatively common and in some years the majority of bergs arriving at 

 the southern extremity have recurved to the westward. But these few 

 were the only such occurrences in L959 and all other bergs reaching the 

 southeastern slope this season drifted to the eastward. 



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