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Why do currents in the western Gulf of Mexico vary by season?

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Map of the Gulf of Mexico showing surrounding regions of the United States, Mexico, Cuba, and the Yucatan Peninsula. The map highlights underwater features such as shelves, escarpments, canyons, and the Mexico Basin, with varying shades of blue indicating water depths. Major coastal cities like Houston, New Orleans, Tampa, and Havana are labeled, and spot depths are marked in meters.
Gulf of Mexico / Gulf of America

In the western Gulf of Mexico, current patterns are relatively weak and lack a well-defined structure compared to the main circulation in the southeastern portion of the gulf. The intensity of these currents varies appreciably depending on both the location and the season.1

This seasonal variability is driven by a combination of factors, including the gulf's major circulation patterns and changes in the prevailing wind direction. Furthermore, the currents on the continental shelf and in coastal waters exhibit extreme variability in both speed and direction, which is also influenced by these seasonal and annual shifts in wind patterns.1