<p>The currents run counterclockwise. That's why the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humboldt_Current" rel="nofollow">Humboldt Current</a> cools the Pacific coast of South America, because the water is coming from the "six o'clock" position in the Antarctica. But in the Northern Hemisphere, the "six o'clock" position is warm water near the equator, which warms Oregon and Washington.</p>

<p>In the northern hemisphere, the cold Labrador current cools land to its <em>west.</em> That's because the water is coming from the "12 o'clock position near the Arctic. On the other hand, the west coast benefits from <em>warm</em> water currents running in a counterclockwise direction. That's because the "6 'oclock" position in the northern hemisphere is near the tropics, which brings warm water to Washington and Oregon at the "2-3 o'clock" position.</p>

<p>All other things being equal, colder air carries less moisture than warm air, and land near cold water currents is dryer than land near warm water currents.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-28T13:27:01.577Z
I don't see what this has to do with moisture.
JohnWDailey
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-28T14:59:52.790Z
@JohnWDailey: Added a new last sentence.
Tom Au
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-28T15:55:22.313Z
So why is Antarctica covered in ice, which is solidified water?  Why is the Pacific coast of North America covered in rainforest?
JohnWDailey
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-28T16:18:23.323Z
@JohnWDailey: The Antarctica is like the Arctic in being covered with ice. So a "counterclockwise" current brings the cold water to South America. In the northern hemisphere, the counterclockwise current brings water from the tropics (6 o'clock position) to Oregon and Washington (2-3 o'clock.).
Tom Au
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-28T01:48:47.230Z
2016-07-28T23:24:31.033Z
2016-07-28T23:24:31.033Z
Tom Au
<p>The basic understanding of ocean currents is that warm currents carry moisture whereas cold currents carry nutrients.  This is why some scientists believe in the connection between the Arctic ice caps and the warm Gulf Stream and the frigid Humboldt and Benguela currents turning the tropical lands of Chile and Namibia bone-dry.</p>

<p>With that, there are some confusions with the workings of coldwater ocean currents.  Antarctica is surrounded by the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, a coldwater current, yet it is covered in mile after mile of frozen water.  The Pacific coast of North America is nurtured by coldwater currents, yet we see temperate rainforests.</p>

<p>So what's going on?  Why are there habitats that require a lot of moisture near coldwater ocean currents that can't carry that much?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-28T10:12:11.320Z
I don't get this question at all. What do moisture in the air and nutrients in the water have to do with each other? 'Worse': *The Pacific coast of North America is nurtured by coldwater currents, yet we see temperate rainforests* suggests that nutrients from the ocean contribute to rainforests?????
Jan Doggen
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-28T13:28:04.490Z
@JanDoggen  Why must I repeat that warm ocean currents carry moisture whereas cold ocean currents carry nutrients?
JohnWDailey
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-28T13:43:32.830Z
Nobody says you have to repeat. Actually, just repeating does not add anything. I specifically mention *in the air* versus *in the water*. If you think you don't have to explain that discrepancy, fine. It's your question, you get better/more answers the clearer your question is. Moving on...
Jan Doggen
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-28T13:53:03.960Z
It IS clear!  If the Gulf Stream weren't so warm, there wouldn't be any ice for the polar bears to walk through!
JohnWDailey
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-28T23:30:54.177Z
The premise of your question is wrong. The west coast of the U.S. is nurtured by warm water currents running counterclockwise from the tropics. The cold Labrador current is on the east coast, running counterclockwise from the Arctic.
Tom Au
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-29T01:30:21.607Z
@TomAu  The California Current is cold.
JohnWDailey
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-29T01:39:47.240Z
@JohnWDailey: The North Pacific current https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Pacific_Current splits into the California current (south but cold), and the Alaska current (north but warm). The latter impacts Oregon and Washington. Go figure.
Tom Au
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-29T01:47:03.557Z
The point is that Antarctica should not have been icy, or that redwoods should not have grown in California because they are surrounded by coldwater ocean currents.
JohnWDailey
<ocean-currents><ecology>
Making Sense of Coldwater Ocean Currents
JohnWDailey
# Making Sense of Coldwater Ocean Currents

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-07-25)

The basic understanding of ocean currents is that warm currents carry moisture whereas cold currents carry nutrients. This is why some scientists believe in the connection between the Arctic ice caps and the warm Gulf Stream and the frigid Humboldt and Benguela currents turning the tropical lands of Chile and Namibia bone-dry.

With that, there are some confusions with the workings of coldwater ocean currents. Antarctica is surrounded by the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, a coldwater current, yet it is covered in mile after mile of frozen water. The Pacific coast of North America is nurtured by coldwater currents, yet we see temperate rainforests.

So what's going on? Why are there habitats that require a lot of moisture near coldwater ocean currents that can't carry that much?

**Tags:** ocean-currents, ecology

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I don't get this question at all. What do moisture in the air and nutrients in the water have to do with each other? 'Worse': *The Pacific coast of North America is nurtured by coldwater currents, yet we see temperate rainforests* suggests that nutrients from the ocean contribute to rainforests?????  
> **username_0**: @username_1  Why must I repeat that warm ocean currents carry moisture whereas cold ocean currents carry nutrients?  
> **username_1**: Nobody says you have to repeat. Actually, just repeating does not add anything. I specifically mention *in the air* versus *in the water*. If you think you don't have to explain that discrepancy, fine. It's your question, you get better/more answers the clearer your question is. Moving on...  
> **username_0**: It IS clear!  If the Gulf Stream weren't so warm, there wouldn't be any ice for the polar bears to walk through!  
> **username_2**: The premise of your question is wrong. The west coast of the U.S. is nurtured by warm water currents running counterclockwise from the tropics. The cold Labrador current is on the east coast, running counterclockwise from the Arctic.  
> **username_0**: @username_2  The California Current is cold.  
> **username_2**: @username_0: The North Pacific current https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Pacific_Current splits into the California current (south but cold), and the Alaska current (north but warm). The latter impacts Oregon and Washington. Go figure.  
> **username_0**: The point is that Antarctica should not have been icy, or that redwoods should not have grown in California because they are surrounded by coldwater ocean currents.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2016-07-28. Score: 1

The currents run counterclockwise. That's why the [Humboldt Current](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humboldt_Current) cools the Pacific coast of South America, because the water is coming from the "six o'clock" position in the Antarctica. But in the Northern Hemisphere, the "six o'clock" position is warm water near the equator, which warms Oregon and Washington.

In the northern hemisphere, the cold Labrador current cools land to its *west.* That's because the water is coming from the "12 o'clock position near the Arctic. On the other hand, the west coast benefits from *warm* water currents running in a counterclockwise direction. That's because the "6 'oclock" position in the northern hemisphere is near the tropics, which brings warm water to Washington and Oregon at the "2-3 o'clock" position.

All other things being equal, colder air carries less moisture than warm air, and land near cold water currents is dryer than land near warm water currents.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I don't see what this has to do with moisture.  
> **username_2**: @username_0: Added a new last sentence.  
> **username_0**: So why is Antarctica covered in ice, which is solidified water?  Why is the Pacific coast of North America covered in rainforest?  
> **username_2**: @username_0: The Antarctica is like the Arctic in being covered with ice. So a "counterclockwise" current brings the cold water to South America. In the northern hemisphere, the counterclockwise current brings water from the tropics (6 o'clock position) to Oregon and Washington (2-3 o'clock.).  

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