Earlier this week we showed how NASA was keeping on eye on the Gulf of Mexico’s Loop Current. Today, Dr. Jeff Master’s of Weather Underground explains how a major re-alignment of the Loop Current is greatly reducing the threat of oil to the Florida Keys and Atlantic Coast.
A major ocean current re-alignment is underway the Gulf of Mexico right now, and the new configuration that is developing greatly reduces the threat of oil entering the Loop Current and affecting the Florida Keys and U.S. East Coast. As I explain in my Loop Current Primer, the Loop Current is an ocean current that transports warm Caribbean water through the Yucatan Channel between Cuba and Mexico. The current flows northward into the Gulf of Mexico, then loops southeastward just south of the Florida Keys (where it is called the Florida Current), and past the western Bahamas. Here, the waters of the Loop Current flow northward along the U.S. coast and become the Gulf Stream. With current speeds of about 0.8 m/s, the Loop Current is one of the fastest currents in the Atlantic Ocean. Every 6 – 11 months, the top bulge of the Loop Current cuts off, forming a 250-mile diameter circular eddy in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico. This clockwise-spinning eddy is filled with warm water from the Loop Current, and is called a Loop Current Eddy. The main body of the Loop Current then takes a fairly direct eastward path from the Yucatan Channel to the Florida Keys.
Read Dr. Master’s full blog post HERE and thanks to gCaptain forum member “Fredwx” for starting the discussion on this issue in the gCaptain forum.
The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season is expected to be exceptionally active, according to researchers at Colorado State University. In their initial forecast, they predict 11 hurricanes, marking the highest prediction...
A Unified Command on Monday concluded its response to an oil sheen spotted off the coast of Huntington Beach, California. Cleanup crews managed to recover approximately 85 gallons of product...
A Unified Command has been established to respond to an oil sheen spotted offshore of Huntington Beach, California, near oil platforms. Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach Command Center received a report...
March 8, 2024
Total Views: 931
Why Join the gCaptain Club?
Access exclusive insights, engage in vibrant discussions, and gain perspectives from our CEO.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.