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How Do Ocean Currents Affect a Region's Climate?

Oceans play a vital role in determining the earth's climate. Their ability to absorb, transport and release heat is what drives the movement of the atmosphere, producing clouds, wind and rain, says Professor Robert Stewart of Texas A&M University.

Absorbing Energy
- Oceans absorb heat from the sun. They are very efficient at this, taking in around 98 percent of the available radiation when the sun is high in the sky. The oceans are therefore heated unevenly, since the sun is overhead in the areas around the Equator for longer than it is in areas closer to the poles.
Releasing Energy
- This solar energy warms the water, which releases some water back into the atmosphere through evaporation. In the tropics, so much heat is released that it drives the atmospheric circulation of the entire earth. The release of heat that takes place during this circulation of air causes storms, winds and rain.
Currents and Climate
- The uneven heating of the oceans also causes movement of water within the oceans, known as ocean currents. Currents can strongly influence regional climate. For example, the relatively mild climate in northwest Europe is due to the Gulf Stream, a current that brings warm water from the Gulf of Mexico to the north Atlantic. Without this current, the temperature in the British Isles would be around 5 degrees C cooler, according to the BBC Weather Center.

Nature