What in the World - AMOC: Could the ocean system collapse?

Download AMOC: Could the ocean system collapse?

Disaster movie The Day After Tomorrow showed the world hit by extreme weather events caused by disruption to the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). Today, even though the events of the film are highly unlikely to happen, scientists are concerned by changes to the AMOC.

The AMOC is a massive north-south system of currents in the Atlantic Ocean that carries warm surface water towards the Arctic and returns colder water thousands of miles south through the deep ocean. It impacts weather patterns across the world from north-west Europe, to west Africa and all the way to India. However, scientists are worried that climate change is weakening the system which could lead to dramatic changes in weather around the world.

BBC Weather presenter Sarah Keith-Lucas explains what the AMOC is, what exactly scientists are worried about and what the potential impacts could be if the AMOC is weakened or collapses entirely.

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Presenter: William Lee Adams
Producers: Adam Chowdhury
Video Producer: Adam Chowdhury
Editors: Emily Horler & Verity Wilde

Published on Tuesday, 4th August 2026.

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