ICE CONDITIONS, 1971 SEASON 



September-December 



During this period icebergs continued to drift south along the 

 Labrador Coast. Icebergs were frequently reported along the Great 

 Circle track to the Strait of Belle Isle from the coast eastward to 

 50-30W. Several grounded bergs were reported along the Newfoundland 

 Coast from Cape Bauld to Cape Freels. The southernmost drifting 

 iceberg was reported in early September at 50-55N 47-21W. Aircraft 

 and ships reported icebergs south of Greenland to as far south as 

 56-06N, which is not unusual. New sea ice began to form along the 

 entire Labrador Coast in December. 



A preseason flight was flown between 27 September and 5 October 

 over Baffin Bay and along the Canadian Coast from Cape Dyer to the 

 Strait of Belle Isle. Figure 1 shows the distribution per one 

 degree rectangle. Icebergs in bays and fiords were not counted. 



Routine surveys of this nature are not planned in the future, 

 nor does the International Ice Patrol plan to conduct preseason 

 flights in December of each year as has been done since 1963 over 

 the waters offshore from the Strait of Belle Isle to Cape Christian 

 on northern Baffin Island. While these flights provided a valuable 

 insight into the movement of icebergs in Baffin Bay and along the 

 Canadian Coast, they have been of little value in the development 

 of a capability to forecast the beginning and extent of the ice- 

 berg season on the Grand Banks. 



January 



No icebergs were reported from outside sources in January. 

 On 13 and 14 January flights were made over the waters along 

 the Canadian Coast from Hamilton Inlet to Cape Dyer. The 

 result of these flights is shown in Figure 2, while Figure 3 

 depicts the anomalous count compared to the 1963-1970 average. 

 At this time the sea ice extended south to the vicinity of Cape 

 Freels, Newfoundland. 



