Question

What is the role of ocean currents in the transport of heat? how can ocean currents affect climate? contrast the climate of a mid-latitude coastal city at a western ocean boundary with a mid-latitude coastal city at an eastern ocean boundary?

Answer 1

Ocean currents aid in the transportation of cold water towards the tropics and warm water towards the poles. By so doing, they help in the regulation of climate by ensuring that the uneven distribution of solar energy is counteracted. This in turn impacts on climate.

The mid-latitude coastal city at the western boundary is likely to experience cool summers than they should and cool winters. On the contrary, a mid-latitude city on the eastern boundary is likely to experience a warmer weather. This mainly occurs because the two areas have different water temperatures. On the west, the gulf stream that feeds up the hurricane is usually warm as opposed to the east where ocean surface temperatures tend to be low.