Research Document - 2004/004
Temperature Variability in the Coastal Waters of Eastern Newfoundland
By Craig, J.D.C. and Colbourne, E.B.
Abstract
We investigated the spatial distribution around coastal Newfoundland of the temperature signal as well as the semiannual, annual and high frequency temperature variability. Thermograph, meteorological and sea surface temperature time series were used to explore variability. Annual cycles were calculated and compared for several inshore areas. The timing of the annual temperature maxima varied with location. This was associated with phase changes in the second harmonic of the annual cycle. High frequency variability comprised negative temperature excursions. The timing and frequency of these were related to events in wind speed data and were consistent with coastal upwelling. We found that wind forcing appears to account for most of the variability in the thermograph time series. On the northeast coast of Newfoundland, the variability during three months preceding the seasonal temperature maximum was significantly greater than for those following the peak. This variability difference was smaller in Placentia Bay on the southern part of Newfoundland.
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