What a Slowing Gulf Stream Means for the Northern Hemisphere
The Gulf Stream and Greater Oceanic Currents
The Gulf Stream is a driving force of climate control in much of North America as well as western Europe. Originating in the Gulf of Mexico, the current travels along the United States’ eastern coastline into the North Atlantic waters of Canada, then veering east towards Europe. This current moves up to 3.99 billion cubic feet of water per second and has been doing so for the last 500,000 years. The Gulf Stream is a part of a grander system of ocean currents in the Northern Hemisphere Atlantic, known as the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). This collection of currents move more than 5.2 billion gallons of water per second and has a strong influence on many of the climates in the Northern Hemisphere.
The driving force of ocean currents is related to differences in water density as well as temperature. Unfortunately, the effects of climate change have caused alterations to the North Atlantic that have oceanographers and climatologists fearing the collapse of the Gulf Stream.
She hasn’t aged well
As global and oceanic temperatures continue to rise, melting ice sheets introduce freshwater into the North Atlantic Ocean. This freshwater reduces the salinity of the seawater, which also makes the water less dense. This gradual effect of global warming has made scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) question the future of the Gulf Stream and the greater AMOC system. Research from Severe Weather Europe shows that the AMOC has slowed dramatically within the last 200 years. The more difficult proposition is forecasting when this slowing could eventually cause the collapse of the Gulf Stream.
Human Activity Strikes Again
All the signs point to human-induced climate change for the alterations to the Atlantic. The most significant decreases in the efficiency of ocean systems began shortly after the Industrial Revolution in the United States during the late 18th to early 19th century.
Increased carbon emissions that are typical of a industrial boom would lead to an increased amount of carbon dioxide (CO2), a vital greenhouse gas, in the atmosphere. This pollutant is able to capture outgoing heat from the Earth and send it back to the surface, increasing the total heat energy of the atmosphere. This simplified version of the process of greenhouse gases is why there has been global increases in temperatures in recent human history. In turn, the resulting higher temperatures melt more ice sheets and sea ice, thus making it the fault of mankind.
Well can I do something about it?
Sorta. Admittedly the life choices of one individual will not noticeably improve the environment, but a united movement to live a more sustainable life is certainly the goal for many. One of the most promising actions to take is the use of renewable electricity. With a cheaper cost of production and zero greenhouse gas emissions, renewable energy has been moving to the forefront of many environmental minds.
Understandably, modifying your home or vehicle to accept renewable energy may not be feasible for many households or individuals. That is why the most important decisions we make for the environment will come at the ballot box. The importance of voting in local and other forms of government has never been greater for the environment. An increasing number of politicians are no longer putting the environment on the back burner to wither away while they make a profit. Using a collective voice with our vote could mean the future of the Atlantic Ocean and the entire world.
A Slower Atlantic Means Worse Hurricane Seasons
If the Gulf Stream continues to become more affected by the introduction of freshwater it will eventually move so slow that it will simply disappear. Before this would happen, drastic climate changes would begin to appear, some of which have already been documented. The current slowing of the Gulf Stream in the North Atlantic has resulted in a pileup of warm water off the east coast of the United States, creating even better conditions for tropical storms. NOAA has been predicting a more active than normal hurricane season for the past couple years, typically with a greater number of severe storms. Although actual hurricane records haven’t shown an increased number of storms, there has been more activity late in the season in recent years. Another otherwise anomaly has been the high latitudes of which hurricanes have reached recently. In mid-September Hurricane Fiona wreaked havoc in the Caribbean before moving north all the way to the Atlantic Provinces of Canada. Even more memorable, Hurricane Sandy causing millions of dollars in damage in New Jersey and New York.
References
Flis, A. (2022, April 2). The Gulf Stream continues to slow down, new data shows, with freshwater creating an imbalance in the current, pushing it closer to a collapse point. Severe Weather Europe. Retrieved October 3, 2022, from https://www.severe-weather.eu/global-weather/gulf-stream-amoc-circulation-collapse-freshwater-imbalance-usa-europe-fa/
Gulf Stream System weakening. Climate Signals | Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation Weakening. (n.d.). Retrieved October 3, 2022, from https://www.climatesignals.org/climate-signals/gulf-stream-system-weakening#more
Specktor, B. (2021, March 4). The gulf stream is slowing to a ‘tipping point’ and could disappear. LiveScience. Retrieved October 3, 2022, from https://www.livescience.com/gulf-stream-slowing-climate-change.html
What is the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation? Met Office. (n.d.). Retrieved October 3, 2022, from https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/learn-about/weather/oceans/amoc
