Atlantic Conveyor Under Strain: New Studies Warn AMOC Could Collapse Soon

Two new studies warn that the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), a core ocean-current system that transports heat around the globe, is weakening and could be approaching collapse sooner than many models predict. A Science Advances study suggests a slowdown of more than 50% by century’s end, greater than the average model projection, raising the possibility of a tipping point; separate real-world data from moorings on the western North Atlantic show AMOC weakening at four latitudes since 2004. If AMOC collapses, Europe could face harsher winters, the U.S. East Coast could see higher sea levels, and droughts could intensify across parts of Africa, with Greenland meltwater potentially accelerating the trend. The findings underscore the urgency of improving climate models and understanding oceanic responses to warming.