Atmospheric and Oceanic Variability in the Northwest Atlantic During the 1980s and Early 1990s

Source - Journal of Northwest Atlantic Fishery Science, Volume 18: 77-97
ISSN-0250-6408

 

Drinkwater, K.F. 1996. Atmospheric and Oceanic Variability in the Northwest Atlantic During the 1980s and Early 1990s. J. Northw. Atl. Fish. Sci. 18: 77-97. https://doi.org/10.2960/J.v18.a6

 

A review of atmospheric and oceanographic conditions in the northwest Atlantic during the 1980s and early 1990s is presented based upon standard station data and climate indices. Air temperatures over Baffin Bay and the Labrador Sea were generally cold in contrast to warm conditions along the Middle Atlantic Bight. These are linked to the large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns which produced strong northwest and southwest winds, respectively, over the two regions. The cold air masses and strong northwest winds in the northern regions resulted in more extensive sea ice coverage than normal. Extremely cold ocean temperatures were observed in the Grand Banks region and contrast with the warm temperatures in the deep waters in shelf regions further south. Ocean climate variability has been found to be influenced not only by local atmospheric forcing but also by the advection of water from upstream. Offshore exchange between the slope and shelf waters is a believed to be the primary mechanism for climate changes from the Laurentian Channel to the Middle Atlantic Bight.

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Language - English
Publisher - Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO), Dartmouth, N.S., Canada
Publication Date - April 1996
Publication Type - Journal Article

Citation: Drinkwater, K.F. 1996. Atmospheric and Oceanic Variability in the Northwest Atlantic During the 1980s and Early 1990s. J. Northw. Atl. Fish. Sci. 18: 77-97. https://doi.org/10.2960/J.v18.a6