The North Atlantic Drift

1
The North Atlantic Drift

• The Dictator of European Climate and Weather

2
The North Atlantic Drift

• Book definition A current of Warm water from the
  tropics

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If you flew DIRECTLY west from Paris what city
would you run into??

1. Fargo, North Dakota
2. Kansas City
3. Orlando, Florida
4. Des Moines, Iowa
5. Sacramento, California

4
Turn to page 278

• Look at the Climographs on 278

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Which city would you say is cold in January?

1. Paris
2. Fargo

6
Which city has more consistent weather throughout
the year??

1. Fargo
2. Paris

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The Point of all of this

• Paris and Fargo are at the SAME latitudinal
  location but have very different climates and
  weather.

8
WHY????

• Answer The North Atlantic Drift
• Definition A current of Warm water from the
  tropics

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What are the Prevailing Westerlies?

• Definition Winds in between 30 and 60 degrees
  latitude which blow from the west.

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Geographical Math

• North Atlantic Drift (Ocean Current)
• Prevailing Westerlies (Wind Current)
• Warm, Moist Climate in Europe (Marine West Coast)

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True Statement

• The North Atlantic Drift greatly changes Europes
  climate

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The North Atlantic Drift The complete story

• Step 1 The North Atlantic Drift pushes warm
  water from the tropics towards Europe
• Step 2 That warm water evaporates into the air
  making it warm and moist
• Step 3 The Prevailing Westerlies blow the warm
  moist air over Europe
• Result Much of Europe's climate becomes Marine
  West coast (mild, warm, moist) instead of cold
  and sometimes dry

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RESULT

• Result Europe is a much more moist and
  farmable!!! This makes it easier to live and
  grow civilizations here.
• Think about it!!!!
• Europes history is FULL of grand civilizations,
  all made possible because of the North Atlantic
  Drift

14
Check for your understanding!
15
The North Atlantic Drift makes Europes climate
cold and dry.

1. True
2. False

16
The North Atlantic Drift affects Europes climate
alone without any help

• A. True
• B. False

17
Which of the following helps the North Atlantic
Drift help Europes Climate?

1. Prevailing Westerlies
2. Evaporation
3. Lack of Mountain Ranges in Western Europe
4. All of the Above help the NAD change Europes
   climate.