1. Wind & Ocean Currents

2. The way that the wind flows over the Earth
How does wind happen?
What are wind currents?
The way that the wind flows over the Earth

3. Wind Currents
What do you notice about the flow of the currents in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres?

4. Earth’s Rotation
Earth rotates in a counterclockwise direction, and has an effect on both wind, and ocean currents.

5. Which way does the wind flow over the Earth?
Wind Currents
Which way does the wind flow over the Earth?
*Clockwise in Northern Hemisphere
*Counterclockwise in Southern hemisphere

6. Coriolis Effect
The direction wind/water flows in relation to the Equator
Wind currents affect climate
Dominant air currents that affect climate are known as prevailing winds
Prevailing winds are winds that blow in one direction more often than from other directions
Prevailing winds bring air from one type of climate to another.
The air moves east at the equator and circular at the poles

7. Ocean Currents
A fast-moving river-like flow of water in the ocean created by the Earth’s rotation

8. Warm currents (red) and cold currents (blue)
Ocean Currents

9. Ocean Currents

10. East Australian Current
Moves warm water from the tropical Coral Sea where it splits from the South Equatorial Current down the east coast of Australia
The powerful flow of the East Australian Current is like an undersea highway
Many creatures can be found commuting in this current, including the Sea turtles
It is the largest ocean current close to the shores of Australia
It can reach speeds of up to five knots
(5.75 mph) in some of the shallower waters
along the Australian continental shelf

11. Warm Current and Cold Currents
Agulhas Current
Indian
Warm
Alaska Current
North Pacific
Benguela Current
South Atlantic
Warm/Cool
Brazil Current
California Current
Cool
Canaries Current
North Atlantic
East Australian Current
South Pacific
Equitorial Current
Pacific
Gulf Stream
Humboldt (Peru) Current
Kuroshio (Japan) Current
Labrador Current
North Atlantic Drift
North Pacific Drift
Oyashio (Kamchatka) Current
West Australian Current
West Wind Drift
Why do you think the U.S. Atlantic coast is warmer than the U.S. Pacific coast?

12. Warm Currents
The GULF STREAM is a warm current that originates in the Gulf of Mexico and moves north toward Europe
The sea surface temperatures are warm, which keeps places like Europe warmer than other areas at similar latitudes
Warm ocean currents attacking the underside of ice shelves are the dominant cause of recent ice loss from Antarctica

13. Cold Currents
Cold water currents carry cold water away from the North Pole and the South Pole.
Most of east coast is affected by warm water currents
Most of west coast is affected by cold water currents

14. Currents Affect Weather
Ocean currents act like a conveyer belt
They transport warm water and precipitation from the equator toward the poles and cold water from the poles back to the tropics.
Without currents, temperatures would be different than they are
Ocean Currents move food around for ocean life

15. Real-time image of the Earth that maps atmospheric and oceanic features 
orthographic=-95.31,23.78,848/loc= ,21.303
Looks at real time: air/wind velocity stream lines
oceanic current stream lines
wave height and direction

16. Make sure you put your name on it!
Ticket out the Door
Answer the following questions on a ½ sheet of paper, and hand it to Mrs. Bishop as you leave at the END of class.
Which direction does the Earth rotate?
What two types of ocean currents are there?
Describe the Coriolis effect.
Make sure you put your name on it!
1. Counter clockwise
2. Warm and cold currents
3. As the earth spins in a counter-clockwise direction on its axis, anything flying or flowing over a long distance above its surface is deflected (moved in a different direction).