Caribbean Current

The Caribbean Current is a warm ocean current that moves large amounts of water. It flows northwest through the Caribbean Sea, starting along the coast of South America and continuing into the Gulf of Mexico. This current begins as part of the Atlantic South Equatorial Current, which runs north along the coast of Brazil.

When the water reaches the Yucatán Channel, it is called the Yucatán Current. The water in the Caribbean Current comes from the Atlantic Ocean through several other currents, including the North Equatorial, North Brazil, and Guiana Currents. Near the Caribbean, the Columbia-Panama Gyre moves in the opposite direction, flowing counter-clockwise.