Currents

Capt. Francis T.Gauci

North Equatorial Current

The Southern Part of the main circulation is formed
by the west going North Equatorial Current.
North Equatorial Current has no defined North
Limits.
The West going current lessens in strength as the
predominance of trade winds decreases (until it is
lost in the variable current region lying to the
Northwards).

Predominance of the North Equatorial current

varies with season. In Mid-Ocean the current is
20N - 24N and in Winter 30N late summer or
autumn.
A considerable part of the water from the North
Equatorial Current turns North Eastwards when
east of Luzon and flows up to the coast of Taiwan
to form Kuro Shio.

Kuro Shio Current

Kuro Shio is a warm current which flows
generally NE, close to the Japanese coast. The
rate is between 2 to 4 knots, but this is influenced
by the monsoons. At about latitude 35 N, the
current flows eastward and Feeds into the North
Pacific drift.

North Pacific Drift

The North Pacific Drift flows to the East.
The sources of water are the Warm Kuro Shio
coming from south along the coast of Japan and
the Kamchatka current cold from the bearing sea
flows down the east coast of Kamchatka.
The whole fans a broad belt of Variable current
with a predominance of easterly sets, filling most
of the area between latitudes 35 N and 50N.

Aleutian Current
The colder part of the North pacific Drift is known
as the Aleutian current and in the middle
longitudes of the ocean is found northwards of
about Latitude 45N.
This is known to change direction depending on
the season and in July some water is deflected
north through the Aleutian Islands to join with the
Kamchatka current.

Alaska Coast Stream

This is the northerly branch of the North Pacific
Drift which turns anticlockwise round the coast of
Alaska.
The Alaskan Current is reinforced by the
Davidson Current and feeds water into the
Aleutian Current and the Bering Sea.

California Current
Water fans out to the SE and S from the Southern
part of the North Pacific Current and passes into
the central region of variable currents Eastwards of
about longitude 150W the remainder of both
current (Aleutian Current and North pacific Current)
flows South South West at some distance off the
United States west coast, from about 48N to 23N
latitudes.
It is a cold current which turns SW and then west
as it flows with the North Equatorial Current.

Davidson Current
California Current does not meet the Coast of
USA.
The Davidson current, an inshore relatively cool
counter current flows Northwards between the
South flowing California Current and the west coast
of USA reaching latitude 48N.
This flow is present between the months of
November to February.
In lieu of The Davidson Current the space
between the California current and the coast is
filled with eddy currents.

Equatorial Counter
Current
The Equatorial Counter Current Flows Eastwards
throughout the year across the whole breadth of the
Ocean. The Seasonal Variation is (4-5 N) and (8-10 N).
During the latter half of the year the southern limit
appears to be nearer the equator in the west then in
central and eastern longitudes.
During the Months of March to November the counter
current is formed by recurving of the south Equatorial
Current Northwards and part of the North Equatorial
Current Southwards down the east coast of
Philippines.

In the months of December to February the North

Equatorial Current is the only source of counter
Current.
During these months the West going South
Equatorial Current North of the Equator (up to
5N) turns South in about Longitudes 140 to 150 E
and finally south Eastwards and thus without
contribution to the counter current.
In Extreme Eastern part of the Equatorial Current,
seasonal variations occur off the central American
Coast Numerous Eddies are formed.

In most months the counter current will be met

between 5N and 10N and generally turns North
and North West along the Central American Coast
and will finally enter the North Equatorial Current.
Early in the year part of the counter current
branches South and enters south Pacific.