Which statement best describes the effect of the North Atlantic Drift on western Europe?

Which statement best describes the effect of the North Atlantic Drift on western Europe?

• A. It causes western Europe to have extremely hot, dry summers.
• B. It makes western Europe cooler than it would be without it.
• C. It helps keep western Europe milder by bringing warm water from the Gulf of Mexico.
• D. It has no measurable impact on climate.

Answer: (C)

An important idea here is how ocean currents move heat and shape climate. The North Atlantic Drift is a warm current that carries heat northward from the tropical Atlantic, continuing the Gulf Stream as it heads toward western Europe. This heat warms the air above the sea and lifts winter temperatures, so western Europe experiences milder winters and a more temperate climate overall than other places at the same latitude. Because of this warming influence, the region is kept milder by bringing warm water from the Gulf of Mexico, which is the source region for the Gulf Stream before it travels across the Atlantic. The other statements don’t fit that pattern: the current does not produce extremely hot, dry summers, it does not cool the region relative to what it would be without it, and its impact on climate is well established.

An important idea here is how ocean currents move heat and shape climate. The North Atlantic Drift is a warm current that carries heat northward from the tropical Atlantic, continuing the Gulf Stream as it heads toward western Europe. This heat warms the air above the sea and lifts winter temperatures, so western Europe experiences milder winters and a more temperate climate overall than other places at the same latitude. Because of this warming influence, the region is kept milder by bringing warm water from the Gulf of Mexico, which is the source region for the Gulf Stream before it travels across the Atlantic. The other statements don’t fit that pattern: the current does not produce extremely hot, dry summers, it does not cool the region relative to what it would be without it, and its impact on climate is well established.