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Why are the seas of the Drake Passage so stormy?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Map showing the Drake Passage, the body of water between the southern tip of South America and the Antarctic Peninsula. The passage is labeled in orange and is situated between Cape Horn and Antarctica, with surrounding seas and islands such as the South Shetland Islands and South Georgia also marked. A small inset map in the upper right highlights the location of the Drake Passage relative to the continent of Antarctica.
Drake Passage

The Drake Passage experiences stormy seas due to a combination of factors, primarily its location and the powerful Antarctic Circumpolar Current. This current, the world's most voluminous, flows from west to east and is significantly accelerated as it is constricted by the passage between Cape Horn and the South Shetland Islands.12

Additionally, the prevailing winds in the Drake Passage are predominantly from the west and are most intense near Cape Horn. Atmospheric low-pressure systems, or cyclones, formed in the Pacific sweep across the southern part of the passage, further contributing to rough conditions. These elements combine to make the Drake Passage a challenging and often stormy waterway, historically posing a rigorous test for ships and crews.2