Figure 15. Iceberg distribution on February 19, 2001 from the iceberg analysis issued by the 

 Canadian Ice Service. There are approximately 98 icebergs shown on this plot, most within sea ice. 



the year was at 48°-06'N and 46°-00'W on 

 25 February. Ice Patrol estimated that four 

 icebergs passed south of 48°N during 

 February. 



March 



Intense storms continued to batter 

 southern Newfoundland during March, 

 bringing extended and frequent periods of 

 strong northeast winds to the northeast 

 Newfoundland shelf. Air temperatures on 

 the island varied from a few degrees above 

 normal in the first part of the month to near 

 normal temperatures in the latter half. The 

 southern Labrador coast experienced 

 much warmer conditions, with mean air 

 temperatures 4°C to 8°C warmer than 

 normal. 



The winds associated with the 

 storms had a dramatic effect on the sea ice 



distribution along the northern 

 Newfoundland and southern Labrador 

 coasts. The storm-driven northeast winds 

 moved the sea ice toward shore resulting 

 in a mid-month eastern sea ice edge that 

 was approximately 100 NM farther to the 

 west than normal. As a result, the outer 

 continental shelf was freed of any 

 significant sea ice concentrations for the 

 remainder of the year, leaving any icebergs 

 that might be near or in the offshore branch 

 of the Labrador Current exposed to wave 

 attack as they moved southward. The 

 southern extent of the sea ice was 

 approximately normal throughout the 

 month. 



The mean sea surface temperature 

 anomaly (Figure 16) distribution for March 

 shows colder than normal values near the 

 Newfoundland and southern Labrador 

 coast. Thus, it is not likely that the 

 disappearance of the sea ice was related 



17 



