which extended to the Avalon Peninsula, 

 was greater than normal. The 



southwesterly flow during the second half 

 of the month began to move the ice 

 offshore, expanding the eastern limit, 

 while, at the same time, accelerating ice 

 destruction. By month's end, the southern 

 ice extent was approximately 60 miles 

 southeast of Fogo Island, somewhat 

 further south than normal. The eastern 

 extent was slightly west of its normal 

 position. 



The mid-month distribution of 

 icebergs was at the 75'*^ percentile for the 

 eastern LAKI. A few isolated icebergs at 

 approximately 55°W caused a short-lived 

 bulge in the southern LAKI, but for the 

 most part, the southern limit was near the 

 75^*^ percentile. By the end of April, both 

 the eastern and southern LAKI were near 

 the 75"^ percentile. In April, 31 icebergs 

 were estimated to have drifted south of 

 48°N, again, well below the month's 

 average, which is 120. 



May 



East Newfoundland waters and the 

 southern Labrador coast experienced light 

 north winds during May. Air temperatures 

 were near normal with the exception of 

 lower than average air temperatures in 

 Newfoundland during the second half of 

 the month. 



During May, a small number of 

 icebergs passed southward in the inshore 

 branch of the Labrador Current, near the 

 Avalon Peninsula. Although they moved to 

 the west when they passed south of Cape 

 Race, they never strayed very far from 

 Newfoundland. The mid-May iceberg limits 

 were between the minimum and the 75"^ 

 percentile for eastern limits. While the 

 southern LAKI was at the median for the 

 period, it was due to a single, isolated 

 iceberg east of the Tail of the Bank. By the 

 end of the month, the southern LAKI had 

 retreated to the 75'^ percentile and the 

 eastern LAKI moved close to the minimum 

 value. An estimated 19 icebergs drifted 

 south of 48°N in May, while the average for 

 the month is 147. In the 101 -year average, 

 May is the busiest month of the year for Ice 

 Patrol in terms of number of icebergs 

 passing south of 48°N. In 2001, March 

 and April tied as the months with the most 

 icebergs passing south of 48°N for the 

 year. 



On 14 May, the southernmost 

 iceberg seen during the 2001 ice season 

 was a small iceberg located by an Ice 

 Patrol reconnaissance flight at 43°-24'N 

 and 48°-13.2'W. The southernmost 

 estimated iceberg position for the year was 

 at 43°-04.8'N and 48°-18'W on the same 

 date. 



June 



The sea ice retreat continued at a 

 normal pace during the month and by mid- 

 month, the southern sea ice extent was 

 near normal and the eastern extent was 

 slightly farther east than normal. During 

 the second half of the month, the sea ice 

 retreat accelerated somewhat and by 31 

 May, other than some locally heavy 

 concentration of sea ice in the vicinity of 

 White Bay and strips and patches along 

 the northern Peninsula, there was no 

 significant sea ice south of Hamilton Inlet. 



The Strait of Belle Isle was opened 

 (recommended) for transatlantic vessels on 

 1 June 2001. HP's last reconnaissance 

 patrol returned from Newfoundland on 13 

 June. 



The extent of the iceberg threat 

 continued its rapid decline throughout the 

 month of June. Both the southern and 

 eastern LAKI were at the 75*^ percentile in 

 mid-month. On 29 June, the day Ice Patrol 

 closed the 2001 iceberg season, the 



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