The Gulf Stream is part of a wider system of currents called Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). Experts warned that if shut down, it could leave Europe in a dire state.
Gulf Stream Could Shut Down Leave Europe Frozen
Melting glaciers can potentially stop the Gulf Stream, the warm-bringing current system in the northern hemisphere, in a few years. There are rumors that this might be a real-life "The Day After Tomorrow." The movie from 2004 depicted a superstorm that caused a devastating natural calamity to occur all across the planet. The incident resulted in a sharp decline in population and an ice-covered northern hemisphere.
Average temperatures in North America, some regions of Asia, and Europe might decrease by several degrees without the Gulf Stream, which would have "severe and cascading consequences around the world."
Researchers alert the public to the growing likelihood of an abrupt shutdown of Atlantic Ocean currents due to computer simulations indicating a "cliff-like" tipping point shortly.
"We are moving closer to the collapse, but we're not sure how much closer," said Rene van Westen, a climate scientist and oceanographer at Utrecht University and the lead author of the study. 'We are heading towards a tipping point."
When a global weather calamity like the one in "The Day After Tomorrow" may happen, it is a "million-dollar question." The expert said they couldn't tell the exact time as it depends on the rate of climate change.
What Is Gulf Stream?
The Gulf Stream is a powerful ocean current that enters the Atlantic Ocean from the Gulf of Mexico, carrying warm water. It reaches the entire eastern coast of both Canada and the United States. As previously mentioned, the Gulf Stream is part of the wider AMOC.
The east coast of Florida experiences warmer winter temperatures and colder summer temperatures than other southeastern states due to a strong warm water current. The Gulf Stream warms Western European nations as well because it stretches toward Europe.
In actuality, England has a far warmer temperature, roughly the same distance from the equator as the colder parts of Canada. England would have a much colder climate if the Gulf Stream's warm water hadn't existed.
An oceanic gyre, a vast system of circular currents and strong winds, creates the Gulf Stream. There are five oceanic gyres on Earth, and the Gulf Stream is part of the North Atlantic Subtropical Gyre.
The ocean's currents carry water from one location to another continuously. The Gulf Stream transports warm water from the Gulf of Mexico to the Norwegian Sea. Colder, denser water lowers as the warm water moves in and starts to flow south, eventually reaching Antarctica through the ocean floor.
However, fresh water from the melting Greenland ice cap and other sources is flooding the AMOC as temperatures rise due to global warming.
If it falls, temperatures in Europe would drop by as much as 10 or 15 degrees, and sea levels in the eastern United States might rise. In addition, rain, which billions depend on for agriculture, would be disrupted.
Approximately 115,000-12,000 years ago, during the Ice Ages, Amoc ceased and began.
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