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Currents 

Capt. Francis T.Gauci

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North Equatorial Current The Southern Part of the main circulation is formedby the west going North Equatorial Current.

North Equatorial Current has no dened NorthLimits.

 The West going current lessens in strength as the

redominance of trade winds decreases !until it islost in the "ariable current region lying to theNorthwards#.

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Predominance of the North Equatorial current"aries with season. $n %id&'cean the current is()*N & (+*N and in Winter ,)*N late summer or

autumn.

- considerable art of the water from the NorthEquatorial Current turns North Eastwards when

east of Luon and /ows u to the coast of Taiwanto form 0Kuro Shio1.

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2uro Shio Current 

02uro Shio1 is a warm current which /owsgenerally NE3 close to the 4aanese coast. Therate is between ( to + 5nots3 but this is in/uencedby the monsoons. -t about latitude ,6* N3 thecurrent /ows eastward and 7eeds into the North

Pacic drift.

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North Pacic 8rift   The North Pacic 8rift /ows to the East.

 The sources of water are the Warm 2uro Shiocoming from south along the coast of 4aan andthe 2amchat5a current cold from the bearing sea/ows down the east coast of 2amchat5a.

 The whole fans a broad belt of 9ariable currentwith a redominance of easterly sets3 lling mostof the area between latitudes ,6* N and 6)*N.

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-leutian Current 

 The colder art of the North acic 8rift is 5nownas the -leutian current and in the middlelongitudes of the ocean is found northwards ofabout Latitude +6*N.

 This is 5nown to change direction deending on

the season and in 4uly some water is de/ectednorth through the -leutian $slands to :oin with the2amchat5a current.

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-las5a Coast Stream   This is the northerly branch of the North Pacic

8rift which turns anticloc5wise round the coast of-las5a.

 The -las5an Current is reinforced by the

8a"idson Current and feeds water into the-leutian Current and the ;ering Sea.

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California Current 

Water fans out to the SE and S from the Southernart of the North Pacic Current and asses intothe central region of "ariable currents Eastwards ofabout longitude nited States west coast3 from about +?*N to (,*Nlatitudes.

$t is a cold current which turns SW and then westas it /ows with the North Equatorial Current.

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8a"idson Current  California Current does not meet the Coast of>S-.

 The 8a"idson current3 an inshore relati"ely coolcounter current /ows Northwards between theSouth /owing California Current and the west coastof >S- reaching latitude +?*N.

 This /ow is resent between the months ofNo"ember to 7ebruary.

$n lieu of The 8a"idson Current the sace

between the California current and the coast islled with eddy currents.

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Equatorial CounterCurrent   The Equatorial Counter Current 7lows Eastwards

throughout the year across the whole breadth of the'cean. The Seasonal 9ariation is !+&6 N# and !?&

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  $n the months of 8ecember to 7ebruary the NorthEquatorial Current is the only source of counterCurrent.

8uring these months the West going South

Equatorial Current North of the Equator !u to6*N# turns South in about Longitudes

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  $n most months the counter current will be metbetween 6*N and

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