Guiana Current (North Brazil Current) 
The Guiana Current is a strong, persistent northwest flow along 
the northeast coast of South America between 5°S and 12°N that may at 
times attain a speed of about 4 knots. It originates mainly from part 
of the Atlantic South Equatorial Current that branches northwestward 
off Cape Natal and is augmented slightly in its northern part by the 
Atlantic North Equatorial Current, the weaker of the two equatorial 
currents in the Atlantic. The direction of the current remains con- 
stant throughout its length most of the year with a frequency of about 
85 percent, and any variations are primarily in its speed as shown in 
Table 9. 
The current appears to be somewhat stronger from July through 
December between O° and 7°N and from January through June between 
5°S and O° and between 7° and 12°N. Strongest speeds during the 
year occur between 1° and 6°N and may result partly from the consid- 
erable discharge of the Amazon River. 
The approximate boundaries of the Guiana Current are shown in 
Figure 1; the surface current rose in Figure 20 shows the prevailing 
flow and the slight variations during two 6-month periods for the 
entire length of the current. 
MONTHS SPEED (KNOTS TOTAL | DIR. 
Sane es 7 2 | OBS. on 
B18 Tg Ads Stes Oped Sells Tf ees ee (atte Bade Casio W3 11602 | 303 
July 
Seeeuein 2 Gh aa) aie aun cy Wh TGs) tenis) ele aloe) Ons) | tye ||, St0ls 
December 
Table 9 Percent frequency of prevailing NW flow by speed category 
51 
