International Ice Patrol Iceberg Counts South of 48°N Since 1900

The International Ice Patrol compiles monthly and annual counts of icebergs drifting south across the 48° N latitude line in the western Atlantic Ocean. This dataset provides a continuous record from 1900 to the present day, offering a long-term view of iceberg activity. It is maintained by the NSIDCV0 organization.

Use Cases

• Analyzing long-term trends in iceberg calving and drift related to climate change using the annual and monthly time series.
• Correlating iceberg counts with sea surface temperature anomalies or other oceanographic data for the western Atlantic region.
• Assessing risk for maritime traffic and shipping lanes in the North Atlantic based on historical iceberg frequency south of 48°N.
• Validating satellite-derived sea ice and iceberg detection algorithms against a century-long in-situ observational record.

Strengths

• Provides a continuous, century-long observational record starting in 1900.
• Compiled by the authoritative International Ice Patrol, a recognized operational safety organization.

Limitations

• Specific column names and the exact row count are not provided by any source, limiting detailed analysis.
• Sources conflict on the last update date (2026-03-13 vs. 2021-09-30), creating uncertainty about data freshness.

Provenance

Source

International Ice Patrol (IIP)

Collection Method

Compilation of observational counts of icebergs drifting south of 48° N latitude.

Time Range

1900 to present

Freshness

2026-03-13 01:16:43.859054

Geography

Western Atlantic Ocean, south of 48° N latitude.