Water currents in the Gulf Stream of the Atlantic Ocean are the weakest ever recorded in 1,000 years.

Scientists said this phenomenon can lead to dramatic shifts in weather patterns, especially in the U.S. and Europe, including a rise in coastal sea levels in New York and Boston.

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These currents are most likely disturbed by the changes in ocean density as fresh water melts the Arctic ice sheets, according to scientists from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact.

The Gulf Stream is considered one of the world's most important water flows since it encourages warm water flow to the north and cold water flow to the south. It's also responsible for the mild climate in northwestern Europe.

The Potsdam Institute, however, revealed there have been recent unforeseen changes that can be blamed on global climate change.

Scientists have raised their concerns for years that these shifts in the Gulf Stream can alter the climate in Europe. One theory is that this slower circulation can produce colder weather in Europe by depleting the warm waters that travel to the continent's northern latitudes.

There has been a certain area in the North Atlantic that's been experiencing cooling in the last 100 years while the rest of the planet heats up, according to lead author of the study, Stefan Rahmstorf. If this slowing water circulation in the Atlantic continues, the effects can be substantial.

To determine this change in circulation, scientists used sea surface and atmospheric temperature data taken from ice cores, tree rings and sediments from oceans and lakes to observe and document ocean currents that show temperature swings in more than 1,000 years.

According to Michael Mann from the Pennsylvania State University, climate models should now be updated since they underestimate the effects of temperature swings and ice melt.

This study was published in the journal, Nature Climate Change.

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