<P> In 2005, British researchers noticed that the net flow of the northern Gulf Stream had decreased by about 30% since 1957 . Coincidentally, scientists at Woods Hole had been measuring the freshening of the North Atlantic as Earth becomes warmer . Their findings suggested that precipitation increases in the high northern latitudes, and polar ice melts as a consequence . By flooding the northern seas with lots of extra fresh water, global warming could, in theory, divert the Gulf Stream waters that usually flow northward, past the British Isles and Norway, and cause them to instead circulate toward the Equator . If this were to happen, Europe's climate would be seriously impacted . </P> <P> Downturn of AMOC (Atlantic meridional overturning circulation), has been tied to extreme regional sea level rise . </P> <P> In 2013, an unexpected significant weakening of the THC led to one of the quietest Atlantic hurricane seasons observed since 1994 . The main cause of the inactivity was caused by a continuation of the spring pattern across the Atlantic basin . </P>

The average travel time for ocean water on the 'global conveyer belt' is about