Ice Conditions, 1983 Season 



October - November 1982 



No sea ice formed south of 58°N during the 

 months of October and November. Figures 1 

 and 2 illustrate the growth of sea ice during 

 these months. By the end of November, ice had 

 extended aown to the northern tip of Labrador, 

 surrounding Resolution Island and closing in 

 Frobisher Bay, with some ice forming along the 

 coastal areas of Ungava Bay. Commander, In- 

 ternational Ice Patrol (CUP) did not receive any 

 reports of icebergs off the coast of New- 

 foundland or in the Grand Banks region. 



December 1982 



The migration of icebergs into the Grand 

 Banks region started earlier than usual this ice 

 season. CMP began receiving reports of bergs 

 crossing south of 49°N during the second week 

 of this month. By 16 December, the IIP had 11 

 bergs south of 52 C N on its computer plot. By 

 the end of the month, a total of 12 bergs had 

 been reported to CMP, two of which had drifted 

 south of 48°N. Sea ice conditions were also 

 heavier than usual for this early in the winter. 

 By 14 December, the sea ice edge extended as 

 far south as Cape Charles, Labrador, threaten- 

 ing to close the Straits of Belle Isle sooner than 

 normal (Figure 3). 



January 1983 



A total of 68 bergs were reported to CMP this 

 month, 9 of which drifted below 48°N. These 

 reports prompted CUP to fly the first Ice Patrol 

 aerial reconnaissance flights of the 1983 

 season on 27 and 28 January. The sea ice edge 

 continued to move south, with ice forming in 

 the Straits of Belle Isle and along portions of 

 the northeastern shores of Newfoundland 

 (Figure 4). 



February 1983 



Ice Patrol reconnaissance flights were flown 

 on 11-12, and 19-21 February. Icebergs were 

 observed to be approaching the Grand Banks 

 area. As a result of these flights, and iceberg 

 reports IIP received from ships transiting the 

 North Atlantic, the regular Ice Patrol season 

 was opened on 22 February. Two more recon- 

 naissance flights were flown at the end of the 



month. A total of 138 bergs were sighted during 

 the month and 165 icebergs drifted below 48°N 

 which included those icebergs originally 

 sighted in January. By the end of the month, 

 there were 75 bergs being carried on computer 

 plot. Figures 13 and 14 show the concentrated 

 iceberg conditions at the start of the 1983 

 season and the dispersed iceberg conditions at 

 the end of the month. A large number of 

 icebergs spread out over a large area is more 

 dangerous to shipping because it is more dif- 

 ficult to locate a single iceberg than a concen- 

 trated group of them. Heavy sea ice which pro- 

 vides protection for the icebergs was found 

 along Newfoundland's east coast as shown in 

 Figure 5 and also caused numerous problems 

 for ships. 



March 1983 



The sea ice continued to move south along 

 the Newfoundland coast, extending to the 

 southern shores of the Avalon Peninsula 

 (Figure 6). This was much further south than 

 normal, due in part to the below normal 

 temperatures during this winter (Table 4). This 

 pack-ice also extended eastward to 51 °W, forc- 

 ing three oil rigs to be moved off the Hibernia 

 oil fields. The southern limit of all known ice 

 also pushed south, extending below 42°N dur- 

 ing the first half of the month, then receding 

 north to 45°N by 30 March (Figures 15 and 16). 

 There were 137 new icebergs sighted during the 

 month with 124 bergs drifting south of 48°N. At 

 the end of the month, 45 bergs remained on 

 computer plot. 



April 1983 



The southern movement of the sea ice finally 

 subsided this month but pack-ice concentra- 

 tions remained heavy north of the Straits of 

 Belle Isle and off the Labrador coast (Figure 7). 

 Iceberg sightings increased during April. Dur- 

 ing the month, 373 bergs were sighted and 339 

 bergs drifted south of 48°N. The limits of all 

 known ice moved south as the month pro- 

 gressed (Figures 17 and 18). By 30 April, the 

 limits extended below 42°N again and 124 

 bergs remained on computer plot. 



