Indian Ocean Current: West Wind Drift

The Indian Ocean is the third largest ocean in the world and covers around 20% of the Earth's surface. The Indian Ocean has several currents that flow through it, and the most notable one is the West Wind Drift.

What is the West Wind Drift?
The West Wind Drift, also known as the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, is a current that flows from west to east around Antarctica. It is the largest ocean current in the world, and it carries more water than all the rivers in the world combined. The West Wind Drift is driven by the strong westerly winds that blow around Antarctica.

How does the West Wind Drift affect the Indian Ocean?
The West Wind Drift flows from west to east, and it pushes water towards the Indian Ocean. This water joins the South Equatorial Current, which then flows towards the east coast of Africa. Along the way, the South Equatorial Current splits into two branches: the Somali Current, which flows towards the Arabian Sea, and the Mozambique Current, which flows towards the south of Madagascar.

The West Wind Drift also affects the climate of the Indian Ocean region. The current brings cold water from the Southern Ocean, which cools the surface of the Indian Ocean. This results in lower evaporation rates, which in turn affects the monsoon winds that blow over the Indian subcontinent.

Conclusion
In conclusion, the current of the Indian Ocean is the West Wind Drift. This current is driven by the westerly winds that blow around Antarctica, and it affects the climate and oceanic currents of the Indian Ocean region.