Science Advisory Report  2008/017

2007 State of the Ocean: Physical Oceanographic Conditions in the Newfoundland and Labrador Region

Summary

• Annual air temperatures were above normal in Newfoundland and Labrador by 0.7°C at Cartwright, 0.5°C at Bonavista and by 0.3°C at St. John’s, significantly decreasing from the record highs of 2006.
• The annual sea ice extent on the NL Shelf remained below normal for the 13th consecutive year. The ice extent was the 7th lowest in the winter months of 2007 since 1963.
• 324 icebergs were detected south of 48oN on the Northern Grand Bank up from 0 in 2006 and 11 during 2005.
• The Station 27 depth-averaged annual water temperature decreased from the record high observed in 2006 to about normal.
• Annual surface temperatures at Station 27 also decreased from the record high of 2006 to 0.2°C above normal.
• Bottom temperatures at Station 27 have been above normal for the past 12 years. In 2006 they were 0.8°C above normal but decreased to 0.4°C above normal in 2007.
• Annual surface temperatures on Hamilton Bank and Flemish Cap were above normal by about 0.5°C.
• Near surface (0-50 m) summer salinities at Station 27 and along the Bonavista section were above normal for the 6th consecutive year.
• The area of <0°C (CIL) water mass on the eastern Newfoundland Shelf was below normal for the 13th consecutive year and the 14th lowest since 1948.
• Bottom temperatures during the spring of 2007 remained above normal on the Grand Banks but were below normal on St. Pierre Bank. During the fall they were significantly above normal in 2J3K and most of 3L, but were below normal in the shallow (<100 m) areas of 3NO.
• The area of bottom habitat on the Grand Banks covered by water with T<0°C decreased from >50% during the first half of the 1990s to near 15% during 2004-2006 but increased to near-normal at about 30% in 2007.

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