FatalAccident posted...
So with climate change the temperature difference reduces between warm and cold parts of the planet and this effect is reduced?
If not stop entirely. Convection relies on temperature differentials to provide energy that translates into movement. If there isn't enough of a difference, the warmer parts of the system don't have enough energy to displace the colder parts, so the colder parts don't end up moving to take their place.
In the UK's case specifically, this will actually result in things getting a lot colder. The North Atlantic Current carries quite a lot of tropical water up to western Europe, which (along with the Gulf Stream, which is the corresponding air current) is largely responsible for England's mild climate. Take that away, and you're just left with cold water that doesn't go anywhere, meaning much, much harsher winters than anything England has ever seen. London is on the same latitude as Labrador City; the difference in their respective climates can be attributed entirely to which ocean currents they are affected by. Take that away, and England starts to look more like Arctic tundra than anything you might find familiar.
Sahuagin posted...
as the ocean warms up, the temperature difference shrinks until the oceanic circulation eventually stops, yes. I don't think the circulation is a gradual thing. once it gets just warm enough, it stops, and "bad things" happen.
There's some gradual slowing, but there will come a point where it just stops altogether if things keep getting worse, and that would be apocalyptic.