Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-05-15

Y ALIFAX, N. S.-The ocean is warming
fl up. The International Ice Patrol OPP
Grating from this port, reports that
the temperature of the sea covering the 49,
600 square miles of the Grand Banks of
Newfoundland is degrees higher than nor
NAL for the time of year. Similar conditions
are found in neighboring waters, icebergs
and ice-1Oes are almost nonresident south Of
Newfoundland, and widespread though tenn
porary changes in the climate of eastern
America and western Europe are thought
likely to occur in the near future by Lieu
tenant Edward II. Smith, of the United
States coast guard service, who reports these
phenomenal conditions.
His report is based upon the reports of
the coast guard cutters maintaining the ice
patrol In it he says:
The early reports from the patrol this
spring are of more than passing interest due
to the relatively high temperatures which
are being encountered over practically the
entire continental shelf south of NeWfOund-
land. The Grand Bank, a submerged prom
ontory of $4,000 square miles, is normally
covered by reservoir of water that is free
from outside intrusions, such as ocean cur
rents, from September to March every year.
This reservoir has mean depth of 35
fathoms, or 210 feet. 1t is cooled by the
end Of winter to uniform temperature
from surface to bottom. This water mass
in March constitutes one of Natures largest
and most accurate thermometers which
registers the severity or mildness Of the pre-
ceding winter season. Normally this Their
mometer is chilled by the cold blasts from
Canada to temperature of 1882 degrees
Fahrenheit, but this year the spring tenn
peratures are 1873 degrees; degrees above
normal When We stop to consider that it
takes approximately $500 times as much
heat to raise a given volume of water one
degree as it does similar quantity of air,
we can realize the tremendous amount Of
heat reserve the Grand Banks possess this
year. This also records the passage of one
Of the warmest winters this region has eX-
perienced in the past ten years.
The patrol vessel has visited several fish
ing hamlets along the south coast of New
fOundIand and all these places state that the
winter of 1924 was one of the mildest
There has been very little Arctic field ice
drifting south of Newfoundland this spring.
The Grand Banks and off-Iying banks to the
westward are normally covered by fields dur
ing March and April while this year there
were no fields south of Newfoundland during
this period. Furthermore, during the months
of April, May and June there is an average of
$50 bergs totaIed south of Newfoundland.
This spring there have been only seven bergs
and at the present writing, May 4, there is
not one. We have year like it on record"
Commenting on these observations, Lieu
tenant Smith says that such vast bodies of
relatively warm water may be traced across
the Atlantic for months and have been
known to have immense effect upon the gem
eral distribution OF atmospheric pressure and
so upon weather conditions both sides of
the Atlantic.
That great heat regulator, the North
Atlantic" he concludes, lis passing this
spring through an unusual thermal process.
undoubtedly Of a temporary nature. Its