The idea that the Gulf Stream per se is responsible for climate changes in northern Europe has been called into question. It turns out that simply having prevailing winds crossing the ocean is by far the biggest factor.  The same phenomenon is observed on the West coast of North America but the Kuroshio Current in the Pacific does not carry the same warm current as far North.<p><a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.americanscientist.org&#x2F;issues&#x2F;pub&#x2F;2006&#x2F;4&#x2F;the-source-of-europes-mild-climate&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.americanscientist.org&#x2F;issues&#x2F;pub&#x2F;2006&#x2F;4&#x2F;the-sourc...</a><p><a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.scientificamerican.com&#x2F;article&#x2F;new-simulations-question-gulf-stream-role-tempering-europes-winters&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.scientificamerican.com&#x2F;article&#x2F;new-simulations-qu...</a>