In the early l980s, the Canadian Ice Services upgraded the way it reports on ice conditions. In co-operation with other countries, Canada developed a reporting standard for the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

International Egg Code

This standard is known as "the Egg Code," named for its oval shape. This oval device, as seen below, is an efficient means of delivering vital information on ice conditions to mariners and other users.

The Egg Code may look complicated, but once you become familiar with its organization you will be able to gain a great deal of useful information about ice conditions in a short period of time.

Ice conditions are monitored by satellites and by observers onboard aircraft and ships, and at coastal stations. This information is expressed in codes and symbols contained in the oval, which is placed on maps to represent the type of ice contained within each area. Mariners and others use this information to make navigational decisions.

Ice conditions are monitored in five regions: the Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence River, the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the East Coast and the Arctic.

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Last Updated: 2003-03-20

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