Which of the following is/are warm ocean current(s) ? 1. Alaska Current 2. Agulhas Current 3. Falkland Current 4. West Australian Current Select the answer using the code given below :

The correct answer is B, 1 and 2. The Alaska Current and the Agulhas Current carry warm water, while the Falkland and West Australian currents are cold.

A useful rule is that currents flowing from the tropics towards the poles are warm and those flowing from high latitudes towards the equator are cold. The Alaska Current is the northward branch of the warm North Pacific Drift that turns anticlockwise along the coast of Canada and Alaska, keeping those ports ice-free. The Agulhas Current flows south along the east coast of Africa, between South Africa and Madagascar, bringing warm Indian Ocean water. The Falkland Current flows north along the coast of Argentina from the Antarctic region, and the West Australian Current flows north along Australia's west coast, so both are cold.

A is wrong because it leaves out the warm Agulhas Current. C is wrong because both the Falkland and the West Australian currents are cold. D is wrong because the West Australian Current is cold.

Exam tip: cold currents run along the western coasts of continents in the tropics, such as the Peru, Benguela, Canary, California and West Australian currents.