What Effects Do Ocean Currents Have on Climate and Weather?

Ocean currents are either permanent or continuous directed movements of ocean water that flow in our Earth’s oceans. These currents flow in complex patterns affected by the winds, heat content, earth’s rotation, water salinity differences, and ocean bottom topography. Ocean currents flow for thousands of kilometers.

Ocean currents play a huge role in earth’s climate and weather, especially in continents bordering oceans. A good example of ocean currents in regions bordering the oceans is the Gulf Stream which causes Northwest Europe to be more temperate compared to other regions with the same latitude.

One major factor of climate change is the temperatures of ocean water across the globe, and how they change on a yearly basis. Changes in ocean temperatures have a big effect on weather patterns, including providing energy for coastal storms and creating hurricanes.

Ocean Currents and Earth’s Rotation, Seasonal Winds

Earth’s rotation and seasonal winds push surface ocean water away from some western coasts, which causes the water that rises on the western edges of the continents bordering the ocean to replace it. This is why the ocean is usually much colder on the east coast compared to the west coast.

Ocean Currents and Heat Content

Oceans act as massive heat-retaining solar panels. Besides retaining heat, they also distribute the heat around the globe.

The heat causes water evaporation which in turn increases temperature and humidity in the surrounding air, forming rain and storms which are then carried by trade winds over long distances. The tropical regions of continents near oceans are particularly rainy are ocean evaporation is higher in these areas.

In other words, even the smallest changes in the ocean currents can have a huge effect on continental and global climate.

Ocean Currents and Heat Redistribution

Ocean currents play a crucial role in heat redistribution around the globe. When ocean water is heated by the sun near the equator, the winds transfer it to higher latitudes where it cools off and sinks.

This cold water then makes its way back to the Equator and the cycle repeats itself. This system is known as Thermohaline Circulation System. The effect of this is that regions in higher latitudes become colder compared to those near the Equator (lower latitudes).

Ocean currents basically act like conveyor belts which transport water and precipitation from the equator to the poles and back. Without these currents, continental temperatures would be extreme, meaning that regions around the Equator would be extremely hot while those around the polar region would be extremely cold, making most of these areas inhabitable.

Therefore, ocean currents do play a very crucial role on the Earth’s climate and weather.