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Where does the North Atlantic Current flow after leaving the Grand Banks?

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Map of the North Atlantic Ocean showing major ocean currents, with warm currents like the Gulf Stream and North Atlantic Drift highlighted in pink and cold currents in blue. Arrows indicate current directions and relative speeds, connecting the eastern coasts of North America, the western coasts of Europe and Africa, and the Arctic region. — Gulf Stream Major warm and cold currents of the North Atlantic Ocean.

After leaving the area of the Grand Banks, the North Atlantic Current flows northeastward toward the Norwegian Sea, off the coast of northwestern Europe.1

As the northeastward extension of the Gulf Stream, this current carries warm, saline water that helps maintain a mild climate in the region. Throughout its course, the current divides into several major branches, including the Irminger Current, the Norway Current, and the Canary Current, the latter of which flows southwestward along the coast of northwestern Africa.12