Question

directed movement of water at or near the oceans surface
this map shows where wilmington and santa monica are located.
based on the map, which factor best explains why the climates of these two coastal cities are different?
latitude
altitude
temperature of the nearest surface ocean current

Explanation:

1. Analyze latitude: Santa Monica (34°01′N) and Wilmington (34°12′N) have very similar latitudes, so latitude is not the main factor.
2. Analyze altitude: Santa Monica has an altitude of 32 m and Wilmington has 13 m. The difference in altitude is small and not a primary driver of coastal climate differences.
3. Analyze ocean currents: Santa Monica is near a cold ocean current (blue arrow), and Wilmington is near a warm ocean current (red arrow). Ocean currents significantly influence coastal climates by transferring heat, so this factor best explains the climate difference.

Answer:

temperature of the nearest surface ocean current