🔍 Key Concepts

• North Equatorial Countercurrent (NECC) location and what drives it • How the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) shifts north and south with the seasons • Relationship between trade winds strength/direction and eastward vs. westward surface currents

💭 Think About

• Think about when the ITCZ is farthest north in the Northern Hemisphere and how that changes the wind pattern around 5–10°N. • Consider when the northern and southern trade winds are arranged so that the westward-flowing currents are weaker near the equator, allowing an eastward countercurrent to develop strongly. • Ask yourself in which season the contrast between the trades on either side of the NECC is greatest in the North Atlantic / North Pacific.

✅ Before You Answer

• Check a seasonal current chart (pilot chart) and note when the NECC arrows (east‑setting) are longest or most frequent. • Verify how the position of the ITCZ in boreal summer vs. winter affects the band of calm or converging winds near the equator. • Make sure the months you choose match the time when the ITCZ is furthest north, strengthening an eastward-flowing current just north of the equator.