The Newfoundland ice extent and the solar cycle from 1860 to 1988

Sea ice conditions off the east coast of Newfoundland for the last 130 years are presented, forming what is believed to be the longest ice record for the northwestern Atlantic. Because of differences in how these data were originally collected, the series is divided into two sets, before and after 1920. Time series for solar activity and air temperature at St. John's have also been compiled and correlation coefficients between the various data sets determined. The relationships between the sea ice extent and solar activity are discussed in the context of the Iceland ice index and recent findings in the atmosphere-ocean-ice system in the northern hemisphere. The association with the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) and the similarity with the fluctuating trends of sea levels, sea surface temperatures, and storms in the North Atlantic are noted. Predictions for the sea ice extent are made for the next few years based on the relationship with solar activity.

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