It starts as the Southern Indian Ocean Current, a part of the larger
Antarctic Circumpolar Current (also known as the West Wind Drift[1]). As the current approaches
Western Australia, it turns north, parallel to the western coast of Australia, and becomes the West Australian Current.
Effects
The current is mainly seasonal, being weaker in winter and stronger in summer, and is affected by the winds in that area.[2][3][4]
In addition to the West Australian Current flowing on the Western Australian Coast, the
Leeuwin Current[5] and Southern Australian Countercurrent, also flow along this coast, with the former flowing in the opposite direction. These three currents together contribute greatly to the rainfall and climate in the
southwest region of Western Australia.[6][7]
^Holloway, Peter E (1995-03-01), "Leeuwin Current observations on the Australian North West Shelf, May-June 1993", Deep-Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers, 42 (3): 285,
doi:
10.1016/0967-0637(95)00004-p,
ISSN0967-0637