North Equatorial Current
Topic: Movements of Ocean Water: Waves, Tides and Currents · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 13 "Movements of Ocean Water"
Meaning
The North Equatorial Current is a warm ocean current that flows west, between about 10° and 20° N. The north-east trade winds drive it. These are steady winds that blow from the north-east towards the equator. In the Pacific and the Atlantic, it forms the southern arm of the big clockwise current loop, or gyre, of the northern ocean. It moves warm tropical water towards the western sides of these oceans.
Example
In the North Atlantic, the North Equatorial Current flows west from near north-west Africa towards the Caribbean Sea. There it helps feed the warm Gulf Stream. In the North Pacific, it flows west towards the Philippines and then turns north as the warm Kuroshio Current.
Don't confuse with
- Equatorial Counter Current: it flows east, between the two equatorial currents near the doldrums. The North Equatorial Current flows west.
- South Equatorial Current: it is driven by the south-east trades and lies just south of the equator. It is also found in all three oceans.