Ice and Environmental Conditions 



Introduction 



For the second time in Ice Patrol's 

 history, no icebergs passed south of 48°N, 

 the traditional latitude below which icebergs 

 are considered a threat to transatlantic 

 shipping. Thus, Ice Patrol did not provide 

 daily warnings to mariners. During the 2006 

 ice year no icebergs, bergy bits or growlers 

 passed into the shipping lanes, placing it in a 

 tie with 1966 as the lightest year in HP's 

 history. This section describes the 

 progression of the ice year and the 

 accompanying environmental conditions. 



The IIP ice year extends from 



October through September (not to be 

 confused with the Ice Season, running 15 

 February - 01 July). The following month- 

 by-month narrative begins as sea-ice started 

 to form along the Labrador coast in 

 December 2005, and concludes on 01 July 

 2006 when Ice Patrol stopped sending 

 weekly ice chart and bulletin updates to 

 mariners. The narrative draws from several 

 sources, including the Seasonal Summary for 

 Eastern Canadian Waters, Winter 2005-2006 

 (Canadian Ice Service, 2006); sea-ice 

 analyses provided by the Canadian Ice 

 Service (CIS) and the U.S. National Ice 

 Center; sea surface temperature anomaly 



061-00*W 056-00'W 051-00'W 046-00'W 041-00'W 036 



.Hamilton Inlet 



Goose Ba y^A-- J 



052-00'N- 



■048-00'N- 



f 



MOVASpOTIA 



044-00'N- 



-s0*S 



LABRADOR 



'^gatwright 





-\ f i/7l.-CapeSt. John 



,'♦ ' itm * : Fo 9° lslar d 

 4 > Cape Fr< els 



^WEV/FOUr IDLAMD Cape B anavista 



*&3 



-¥■••: 



^^■^^h^T ancis 



GRAND 



04000'N 



Flemish 

 Pass 



BANKS 



FLEMISH 

 CAP 



Key to Ocean Depth 



LAND 

 - 200m 

 200 -1,000m 

 1,000 -4,000m 

 > 4,000m 



Figure 1. Grand Banks of Newfoundland 



12 



