National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

El Nino looms large over U.S. Winter Outlook

NOAA’s U.S. Winter Outlook, released today, shows how El Nino will likely influence the upcoming winter months (December 2026 ...
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NOAA emblem usage and licensing

In 1970, NOAA was created from a number of federal science components that were united under a common name and mission. One year later, NOAA’s first administrator, Dr. Robert White, gave NOAA ...
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What’s the difference between climate and weather?

Worldwide, scientists observe weather conditions at thousands of stations every day of the year. Some observations are made hourly, others just once a day. Over time, these observations allow us to ...
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NOAA’s GOES-19 satellite now operational, providing critical new data to forecasters

Satellite covering GOES-East orbit NOAA’s GOES-19 satellite, the latest and final satellite in NOAA’s GOES-R Series, officially began operations as GOES East today. This milestone comes after its June ...
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NOAA and Fugro partner to accelerate deep ocean mapping, characterization

NOAA Ocean Exploration and Fugro offsite link have signed a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) to develop and use uncrewed systems for ocean exploration to enhance the efficiency, ...
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The planet just had its warmest October on record

October 4, 2023: An aerial view of the drought-hit harbor of Cacau Pirêra, where houses that normally float on the water are lying on the river bed in Iranduba, Amazonas, Brazil. October 2023 was the ...
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Private, public effort contains 1 million gallons of oil at longest U.S. spill

Eighteen years ago, Taylor Energy’s MC20 oil production platform collapsed in an underwater mudslide caused by Hurricane Ivan, spilling oil into the Gulf of Mexico from the well site. This week marks ...
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Larger-than-average Gulf of Mexico ‘dead zone’ measured

Today, NOAA-supported scientists announced that this year’s Gulf of Mexico “ dead zone ”— an area of low to no oxygen that can kill fish and marine life — is approximately 6,334 square miles, or ...
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Hoist a flag for cold waves and other weather conditions

The original weather signal flags included a red circle, crescent, and star for warmer, cooler, and steady temperatures, respectively. A blue circle, crescent, and star indicated general rain or snow, ...
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Hurricane Erin: When distant storms pose a danger to America’s coastal communities

Although the eye of Hurricane Erin was never closer than about 200 miles from the U.S. East Coast and its center never made landfall, Erin’s effects were still seen along the shoreline and felt by ...
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4 tips to keep you safe during a snow squall

It’s that time of year to watch out for one of the most dangerous and underplayed winter hazards while on the road: Snow squalls. A snow squall is a brief period of intense snowfall and wind that ...
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What is a harmful algal bloom?

Harmful algal blooms, or HABs, occur when colonies of algae — simple plants that live in the sea and freshwater — grow out of control and produce toxic or harmful effects on people, fish, shellfish, ...