Scientists at AOML detect new link between Florida Current transport and Pacific Ocean

Ocean currents form a complex pattern along the eastern coastline of North America. Credit: NOAA

A recent study by scientists at NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) is the first to demonstrate that El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) temperature variations in the equatorial Pacific Ocean can help predict Florida Current transport anomalies three months later. The connection between Florida Current transport and ENSO is through ENSO’s impact on sea level on the eastern side of the Florida Straits, which plays a dominant role in the Florida Current transport variability on interannual time scales.

The Florida Current is a strong oceanic current flowing northward along the eastern coast of Florida through the Florida Straits. It carries warm tropical waters that eventually feed the Gulf Stream (seen below). There is a broad interest among the scientific community in monitoring the Florida Current because of its link to weather, climate, and societal issues, including changes in coastal sea level and flooding events. Previous studies have investigated drivers of variability in the Florida Current transport, but it is not yet fully understood.

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