Hydrographic conditions off West Greenland in 2013

An overview of the atmospheric and hydrographic conditions off West Greenland in autumn 2013 is presented. The large scale atmospheric circulation is described in terms of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index and annual mean air temperature at Nuuk Weather Station in West Greenland. The NAO index was negative (-1.97) and the annual mean air temperature at Nuuk was -0.3°C in 2013, which was 1.1°C above the long-term mean (1981-2010). The annual sea surface temperature (NOAA OI SST) anomalies for 2013 indicate positive anomalies of the SST in the Northwestern Atlantic and around Greenland. The hydrographic conditions are monitored at two oceanographic NAFO/ICES sections, which span across the western shelf and continental slope of Greenland near Cape Desolation and Fyllas Bank. Two offshore stations at each section have been chosen to document changes in hydrographic conditions off West Greenland. In 2013, the temperature and salinity of the Irminger Sea Water component of the West Greenland Current at Cape Desolation Station 3 was 5.84°C and 34.97, which was 0.12°C and 0.05 above the long-term mean (1983-2010), respectively. The properties of the North Atlantic Deep Water in the deep boundary current west of Greenland are monitored at 2000 m depth at Cap Desolation Station 3. Between 2012 and 2013, the temperature and salinity decreased, but were 0.08°C and 0.01 above the long-term mean. The water properties between 0 and 50 m depth at Fyllas Bank Station 4 are used to monitor the variability of the fresh Polar Water component of the West Greenland current. In 2013, the temperature of this water mass was 0.37°C below the long-term mean and the salinity was 0.45 below its long-term mean, respectively.