A huge Atlantic ocean current is slowing down. If it collapses, La Niña could become the norm for Australia
ABCClimate change is slowing down the conveyor belt of ocean currents that brings warm water from the tropics up to the North Atlantic. We found the collapse of this system — called the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation — would shift the Earth's climate to a more La Niña-like state. The Atlantic overturning circulation comprises a massive flow of warm tropical water to the North Atlantic that helps keep European climates mild, while allowing the tropics a chance to lose excess heat. Climate records reaching back 120,000 years reveal the Atlantic overturning circulation has switched off, or dramatically slowed, during ice ages. Our focus was to look beyond the well-known regional impacts around Europe and North America, and to check how Earth's climate would change in remote locations, as far south as Antarctica.
History of this topic
Latest modelling tips fourth La Niña for Australia in five years before the end of 2024
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ABCWhat will a warming East Australian Current change along the way?
ABC
Ocean currents are slowing down due to climate change
CNN
Australia sticks out like a sore thumb in a map of global weather
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