🔍 Key Concepts

• Wind-driven surface current generally flows in a predictable relation to the true wind direction • On the U.S. East Coast, think about how onshore vs. offshore winds affect coastal surface currents • Remember that direction in degrees is the direction toward which the current flows

💭 Think About

• If the wind is blowing from the east, in what general compass direction will it tend to push the surface water? • Look at the answer choices and decide which one represents water flowing roughly downwind of an easterly wind, adjusted slightly for coastal effects and Coriolis • Compare "from" and "to" directions: if the wind is FROM 090°, what general "TO" direction should the current have?

✅ Before You Answer

• Be clear on the difference between wind direction (where it blows FROM) and current set (where it flows TO) • Check that your chosen answer is generally downwind of an easterly wind, not upwind • Verify that your chosen direction is plausible for coastal New Jersey, where the shoreline runs roughly northeast–southwest