waters was significantly less extensive than 

 normal (Figure 25) for all weeks during the 

 season. It attained its maximum extent in late 

 March and early April, with the southern ice 

 edge approximately at the latitude of Cape 

 Bonavista. 



The winter 2004 (December 2003 

 through March 2004) North Atlantic 

 Oscillation Index was weakly negative (-0.07), 

 while the previous two years were weakly 

 positive (Hurrell, 2004). 



It is likely that the late arrival of 

 icebergs on the Grand Banks was due to the 

 anomalously warm and stormy conditions 

 along the Labrador coast in January. As a rule 

 of thumb, it takes three to four months for 

 icebergs to move from Cape Chidley, the 

 northernmost point of Labrador, to 48°N, a 



distance of about 720 nm. It takes an additional 

 month to move from Davis Strait to 48°N. In 

 2004, the February through April supply of 

 icebergs to the Ice Patrol operations area was 

 strung out along the Labrador coast during 

 January. During the intense storm in mid 

 month, it is likely those went ashore or were 

 destroyed. As a result, 24 icebergs passed 

 south of 48°N during February through April 

 (Figure 26), while the average over the 104- 

 year Ice Patrol record for the period is 200 

 icebergs. On the other hand, the icebergs near 

 Davis Strait were not subjected to this storm 

 system. The icebergs from that region and 

 farther to the north began arriving at 48°N from 

 May to June. Over this period 238, icebergs 

 moved south of 48°N, while the average for the 

 period is 267. 



150 -r 



130 ■- 



110 



o> 



•S 70-- 



4> 



Month 



Dmean B2004 



Figure 26. Estimated number of icebergs that passed south of 48°N each month of 2004. 



21 



