Warm surface currents flow out of ocean gyres from the tropics to higher latitudes, and cold surface currents flow from colder latitudes toward the equator. The oceans redistribute heat from high to low latitudes by moving warm water from the equator toward the poles.
The parts of all gyres closest to the equatormigrate westward as equatorial currents, and when the currents from landmasses are redirected towards the poles, where the seas there convey warm, tropical water into higher, colder latitudes, they transfer heat between the equator and the poles.
Redistribution of Earth's heat.
The excess heat is transported from the equatorial to the polar regions by winds and ocean currents.
The polar regions of Earth would become colder each year without this heat flow, whereas the areas between 35 N and 35 S would become warmer.
Sensible heat and latent heat are the methods used for energy transfer.
Latent heat is the main mechanism because the latent heat of evaporation for water is relatively great compared to heat capacity and sensible heat transfer only accounts for a small portion of the heat flux from the ocean to the atmosphere associated with latent heat.
