WIP: Need help with ocean currents, pressure zones, and precipitation

[SCMartins]

Ah, thanks for the insight!

By counter-current, do you mean the middle-right side of the equatorial oceans where it crosses from east to west?

No, I mean the west-east equatorial current that should exist between every north and south equatorial currents, wich you have not depicted. If I may, here is how I think the ocean currents' system of your world would be (assuming, as you've not depicted them, that the continental shell of your land masses would not differ much of the actual surface; and that there are no beyond nature forces intervening in the process...):
suru_currents_updated. Reworked..png

[Coggleton]

I've been able to keep making progress, and have finished the temperature influence zones. Red = Hot, Blue = Cold, Green = Mild, Yellow = Continental (I wasn't sure what to do about Continental Plus; any ideas?).

I've now added temperature influence zones for both January:

suru_Jan_temp_influence_zones.png

And July:

suru_July_temp_influence_zones.png

[ZechGeo]

Hi Coggleton, Nice map its looking good.

Regarding your ocean currents following on from what Martins has said already, there is a relatively strong Equatorial Counter Current which depending on the size of the ocean can have a profound affect on global weather patterns. If you don't mind I have put together a small drawing to explain how and why this occurs. I have picked your eastern continent which is roughly analogous to the Atlantic on earth. This will be much more pronounced in your western "Pacific" analogy.

suru_Jan_temp_influence_zones_W_Equatorial_Counter_Current_El_NiNo_cropped.png

Basically what you get is while the trade winds are blowing they are deflected towards the west. When it crashes into the continent the water can only go either towards or away from the equator. If away from the equator it will continue along its current. If towards the equator this water can become "trapped" and starts to "pile up" producing an area of warmer, slightly slower moving water. As the water on the east is now cooler at the equator than the water on the west you end up with a hydraulic and thermal gradient which drags this "piled up" water back across the equator towards the east.

You end up with a narrow strip of a relatively strong current of water running from west to east which rarely exceeds 5-10 degrees North and South counter to the trade winds. This is important as in the larger oceans this has influence over El Nino/La Nina effects in your oceans which can change global weather patterns.

[Coggleton]

Hi Coggleton, Nice map its looking good.

Regarding your ocean currents following on from what Martins has said already, there is a relatively strong Equatorial Counter Current which depending on the size of the ocean can have a profound affect on global weather patterns. If you don't mind I have put together a small drawing to explain how and why this occurs. I have picked your eastern continent which is roughly analogous to the Atlantic on earth. This will be much more pronounced in your western "Pacific" analogy.

suru_Jan_temp_influence_zones_W_Equatorial_Counter_Current_El_NiNo_cropped.png

Basically what you get is while the trade winds are blowing they are deflected towards the west. When it crashes into the continent the water can only go either towards or away from the equator. If away from the equator it will continue along its current. If towards the equator this water can become "trapped" and starts to "pile up" producing an area of warmer, slightly slower moving water. As the water on the east is now cooler at the equator than the water on the west you end up with a hydraulic and thermal gradient which drags this "piled up" water back across the equator towards the east.

You end up with a narrow strip of a relatively strong current of water running from west to east which rarely exceeds 5-10 degrees North and South counter to the trade winds. This is important as in the larger oceans this has influence over El Nino/La Nina effects in your oceans which can change global weather patterns.

So I just saw this post- sorry for not responding.

Questions for you and Martins:
- I take it the East-to-West current is influenced and results in those curved black arrows instead?
- Would this affect the temperature influence zones/temperatures at all, or is it primarily important for precipitation?