Leming, Thomas D.

Southeast Fisheries Center (U.S.)

"Results of an approximately monthly series of XBT transects during 1971 near Cape Canaveral revealed a pronounced seasonal difference in thermal structure over the continental shelf. Temperature sections were averaged to portray four major seasonal conditions: winter-spring, sum- mer, fall, and winter. The coastal waters were strongly vertically stratified during summer and nearly isothermal in winter. Typical hori- zontal temperature gradients at 1OO.m depth averaged 7.5C*/8 km and 1.0 C'/8 km for summer and winter, respectively. This was interpreted as due to increased strength and onshore movement of the Florida Current during the summer months, which was accompanied by intrusion of cold (<18'C) water along the bottom onto the shelf. Following offshore re- treat of the Florida Current, cold water lenses 80 km long, 10 km wide, 6nd 5 m thick remained over the bottom in the mid-shelf zone (20 to 40-m depth)"--Abstract, paragraph 1.

Technical Memorandum

Florida

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)