Kōrero: Ocean currents and tides

Ocean currents around New Zealand

Ocean currents around New Zealand

New Zealand is bathed from the west by three major water masses. The boundaries of these masses are called fronts. These can be seen in the diagram as the Tasman Front (TF), Subtropical Front (STF) and Subantarctic Front (SAF). The Tasman and Subtropical fronts are relatively warm surface currents. The eastward flow of warm water splits around the country so that currents flow south-eastwards around the North Island’s east coast, and north-westward around the South Island’s east coast. The Subantarctic Front is cooler. To the south of New Zealand the Subantarctic Front and associated cold Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) hug the deep ocean floor to the east of the Campbell Plateau and Chatham Rise.

Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi

NIWA – National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research

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Te tuhi tohutoro mō tēnei whārangi:

Craig Stevens and Stephen Chiswell, 'Ocean currents and tides - Currents', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/mi/map/5912/ocean-currents-around-new-zealand (accessed 29 March 2024)

He kōrero nā Craig Stevens and Stephen Chiswell, i tāngia i te 12 Jun 2006