narrow sea ice bands between 

 Newfoundland and Hamilton Inlet. 

 Higher than average SSTs were 

 observed all over the IIP oceanic areas 

 of interest during the season. Onshore 

 winds persisted through March and 

 April, which resulted in above-normal 

 air temperatures in Newfoundland and 

 Labrador coastal areas. Two iceberg 

 surveys conducted along the Labrador 

 coast, one on 14 April and the other on 



7 June, located 432 and 297 icebergs, 

 respectively. The IIP oceanographic 

 research vessel Evergreen completed 

 the first of two hydrographic surveys on 



8 April and found "...utter absence of 

 any defined Labrador Current." 



1977: Warmer than normal air 

 temperatures and onshore winds along 

 the Labrador coast in fall and early 

 winter inhibited early sea ice 

 development. Despite the slow start, at 

 the end of January, the sea ice edge 

 reached Cape Bonavista, which is 

 approximately a normal southward 

 extent. The eastward extent was less 

 than normal for this time of year. A 

 limited pre-season flight in January 

 found 34 icebergs between 55°N and 

 60°N, while another from the end of 

 February to early March found 145 

 medium and large icebergs south of 

 63°N, about half the size of the normal 

 iceberg population for that time of year. 

 From these observations, it was 

 evident that the 1977 iceberg season 

 was going to be light. A series of 

 March storms broke up and spread out 

 the sea ice, and at month's end a rapid 

 retreat began, aided by above-average 

 air temperatures and predominantly 

 onshore winds along the Labrador 

 coast. By late May, the sea ice edge 

 had retreated to the vicinity of the Strait 

 of Belle Isle, leaving a small iceberg 



population between 50°N and 52°N. In 

 1977, 22 icebergs passed south of 

 48°N, all before the end of April. 



1980: The early winter of 

 1979/1980 was characterized by a 

 series of intense storms, one of which 

 brought record precipitation and 

 hurricane force winds to the region. 

 Prevailing northwest winds dominated 

 Labrador. The early development of 

 sea ice was slightly ahead of the norm, 

 but by the end of January, sea ice 

 conditions returned to normal. This 

 year was unique in that the 

 southernmost and easternmost iceberg 

 for the entire season were seen very 

 early in the year. In January, the 

 southernmost iceberg was seen at 

 47°40'N, 47°40'W and the easternmost 

 iceberg was seen at 48°10'N, 45°30'W. 

 The sea ice began its retreat in early 

 March, about a month earlier than 

 usual, due in large part to the passage 

 of two very strong storms that passed 

 through the region. In 1980, 24 

 icebergs passed south of 48°N. Only 

 45 ice reports were received from ships 

 during the entire season. 



Common Characteristics of Mild 

 Iceberg Years 



Four factors characterize many 

 of the mild iceberg years: 



• mild winters in Newfoundland 

 and Labrador 



• persistent onshore winds in 

 the winter 



• warmer than normal sea 

 surface temperatures 



• sea ice arrives late, departs 

 early and is not very 

 extensive 



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