Science Advisory Report 2009/057

2008 State of the Ocean: Physical Oceanographic Conditions in the Newfoundland and Labrador Region

Summary

• The North Atlantic oscillation index, during both 2007 and 2008, was slightly positive which likely contributed to a cooling in air and ocean temperatures relative to 2006 in most areas.
• Annual air temperatures were above normal in Newfoundland and Labrador by 0.8°C at Cartwright, 1°C at Bonavista and by 1°C at St. John’s, a significant decrease over the record highs of 2006 but warmer than in 2007.
• The annual sea ice extent on the NL Shelf remained below normal for the 14^th consecutive year. The winter ice extent was the highest since 1997 whereas the spring extent ranked 11^th lowest since 1963.
• 976 icebergs were detected south of 48°N on the Northern Grand Bank, up from 324 in 2007 and 0 in 2006.
• The Station 27 depth-averaged annual water temperature increased slightly over 2007 to 0.2°C above normal.
• Annual surface temperatures at Station 27 also increased over 2007 values to 1°C above normal.
• Bottom temperatures at Station 27 remained above normal for the 13^th consecutive year. From 2004-06, they were about 0.8°C above normal but decreased to <0.5°C above normal in 2007-08.
• Near surface (0-50 m) summer salinities at Station 27 were above normal (by 0.35) for the 7^th consecutive year.
• The average temperature and salinity along the Bonavista section has remained significantly above normal (by 2.8°C and 0.3, respectively) since 2002.
• The cross sectional area of <0°C cold-intermediate-layer (CIL) water mass on the eastern Newfoundland Shelf was below normal for the 14^th consecutive year and the 5^th lowest since 1948.
• Averaged spring bottom temperatures remained slightly above normal (by 0.3°C) in Divs. 3LNO but were below normal (by 0.6°C) in Sub-Div. 3Ps.
• Averaged fall bottom temperatures were above normal in Divs. 2J3K (by ~0.5°C) and slightly below normal in Divs. 3LNO. These represent a decrease over 2006 and 2007 values.
• The area of bottom habitat on the Grand Banks covered by <0°C water during the spring decreased from near 60% in 1991 to <5% in 2004 but increased to near-normal at about 30% in 2007-08.

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