NOAA
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is a scientific agency within the United States Department of Commerce. It focuses on the conditions of the oceans, major waterways, and the atmosphere. Established in 1970, NOAA plays a key role in understanding and managing the environment and natural resources.
Here are some of NOAA's primary functions and areas of responsibility:
Weather Forecasting and Warnings: NOAA's National Weather Service (NWS) provides weather forecasts, warnings for severe weather, and other weather-related information to ensure the safety of the public and the protection of property.
Climate Research: NOAA conducts research on climate trends and changes. This includes monitoring atmospheric conditions, studying long-term climate patterns, and providing data that can be used to make predictions about future climate conditions.
Marine and Coastal Resource Management: NOAA manages marine fisheries, protects marine habitats, and works to sustain populations of various marine species. The organization is involved in the conservation and management of marine and coastal ecosystems.
Ocean Exploration: NOAA is involved in exploring the world's oceans, mapping the seafloor, and discovering marine life and underwater geological formations. This contributes to our understanding of oceanic processes and marine biodiversity.
Environmental Monitoring: NOAA operates a network of satellites and observation systems to monitor environmental conditions on Earth. This network provides critical data for weather forecasting, climate monitoring, and the study of natural phenomena.
Research and Education: NOAA conducts and supports research to enhance our understanding of environmental issues. It also offers educational programs and resources to promote environmental literacy and encourage careers in science and technology.
Emergency Response: NOAA provides essential data and services during natural disasters and emergencies such as hurricanes, tsunamis, and oil spills, offering guidance and support for response and recovery efforts.
NOAA's work is critical for disaster preparedness, environmental conservation, and scientific research, influencing a wide range of sectors including agriculture, transportation, commerce, and public health.
NOAA's headquarters is located in Silver Spring, Maryland, but it has numerous laboratories, research facilities, and operational centers across the United States and its territories. NOAA partners with other government agencies, international organizations, and private sector entities to achieve its mission and objectives.
government
- Phone: 206.553.5749
- Web: www.noaa.gov
- Fax: 206.553.4340
Locations
NOAA News
NOAA to Hold Public Meeting in Anchorage, Alaska
NOAA's Hydrographic Services Review Panel (HSRP) is holding a Public meeting, May 22-24, 2012, Anchorage, Alaska. Navigation areas of focus for this public meeting…
Nautical Charts – NOAA Testing QR Code Effectiveness
OceanGrafix, the exclusive provider of NOAA print-on-demand (POD) nautical charts for U.S. waters, announce that QR codes are now available on eight NOAA charts for the Tampa Bay, Fla., area.
NOAA Honors Lost Crew of USS Monitor
Recreates faces of two sailors found in ill-fated ship’s gun turret, asks public for help to identify. Nearly 150 years after 16 USS Monitor sailors died when their vessel sank in a New Year’s Eve storm, NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries has released forensic reconstructions of the faces of two crew members. Officials unveiled the reconstructions and dedicated a plaque in memory of the Monitor…
NOAA Releases Restoration Plan for Cosco Busan Impacts
Final Restoration Plan Completed for Cosco Busan Oil Spill; Projects will Address Impacts from Ship that Struck the Bay Bridge. State and federal trustee agencies have released the Cosco Busan Oil Spill Final Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan. The document summarizes the injuries to wildlife, habitat, and recreational uses from the oil spill that occurred on Nov. 7, 2007. It also describes a number of restoration projects that will be implemented to compensate for injuries from the spill.
BSEE, NOAA Enhance Response Mapping
BSEE and NOAA to complete Arctic oil spill response mapping tool. The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced today they are partnering to enhance the Environmental Response Management Application (ERMA®) for the Arctic region by summer 2012. ERMA® is the same interactive online mapping tool used by federal responders during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
NOAA launches USS Monitor Website
NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries today launched a new website highlighting the 150-year history of the USS Monitor on the anniversary of the ship’s launch. The website, http://monitor.noaa.gov/150th, takes viewers from the iconic warship’s construction through its recovery to recent science expeditions undertaken to protect its legacy. The website, also offers students, teachers and history…
NOAA Satellites Help Rescue 207 in 2011
In 2011, NOAA satellites were critical in the rescues of 207 people from life-threatening situations throughout the United States and its surrounding waters. The satellites picked up distress signals from emergency beacons carried by downed pilots, shipwrecked boaters and stranded hikers, and relayed the information about their location to first responders on the ground. NOAA’s polar-orbiting and geostationary…
NOAA Begins Production With Esri
GIS Creates Integrated Data Workflow for More Efficient Chart Production. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has implemented a new nautical charting system based on Esri GIS technology to produce more navigational products than ever before without increasing its budget or personnel needs. The new system, NCS II, is based on Esri Nautical Solution, and it allows NOAA to centralize the management of hydrographic data for US coastal waters.
Coast Guard, NOAA Nab Drift Net Violator
The U.S. Coast Guard announced Friday that, in cooperation with federal and international partners, it has seized a fishing vessel and crew suspected of large-scale illegal high-seas drift net fishing in the North Pacific Ocean and is delivering them to the Alaska Division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Law Enforcement for the investigation. Renegade large-scale high…
Krill Wins NOAA FSV Contract
Krill Systems won the contract from NOAA for supply and installation of Vessel Fuel Measurement and Management Systems (VFMMS) onboard six NOAA Fisheries Survey Vessels (FSV). In a competitive bid, on an unrestricted basis, NOAA issued its award to ‘the responsible vendor whose quotation resulted in the best value to the Government, considering both price and non-price factors’. The factors used to evaluate the quotations were: Technical Approach, Past Performance and Price.
President to Honor Early Career NOAA Scientists
Three NOAA scientists were named as recipients of the 2010 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). The award is the highest honor given by the U.S.
NOAA Awards Fisheries Survey Vessels Contract to Krill Systems
Krill Systems Inc., a leader in advanced fuel and vessel monitoring systems, is pleased to announce that it has been awarded the contract from National Oceanic and…
NOAA Ship Rainier Returns to Alaska for Sea Floor Surveys
NOAA Ship Rainier returns to Alaska to conduct sea floor surveys in support of safe navigation. NOAA Ship Rainier has begun a month long survey of the sea floor near Alaska’s Prince of Wales Island as part of a multi-year effort to update nautical charts for the area. In addition to supporting marine navigation, data acquired by the 231-foot hydrographic survey vessel will also support marine ecosystem studies and improve inundation models for areas vulnerable to tsunamis.
NOAA Releases Study on Deepwater Horizon Controlled Burns
During the 2010 BP/Deepwater Horizon Gulf oil spill, an estimated one of every 20 barrels of spilled oil was deliberately burned off to reduce the size of surface oil slicks and minimize impacts of oil on sensitive shoreline ecosystems and marine life. In response to the spill, NOAA quickly redirected its WP-3D research aircraft to survey the atmosphere above the spill site in June. During a flight through one of the black plumes…
NOAA to Deliver More Charts, Faster
Revolutionary Change in NOAA Nautical Chart Production Means More Products, Faster, for Maritime Use. NOAA's development of a new navigational chart processing system, designed to meet the changing needs of the maritime community, moves into initial limited production on September 21. The new system, which slims down the current map production process while it beefs up performance, represents a technological…
WHOI Joins NOAA in "Battle of the Atlantic"
It’s been called everything from the Graveyard of the Atlantic to Torpedo Junction. By whatever name, the seas off the coast of North Carolina during World War II were the site of a devastating period for the United States, during which dozens of ships—mostly merchant vessels—were sunk by German U-Boats. Today, the remains of those ships, along with several U-Boats, rest at the bottom of the Atlantic.
NOAA Study Investigates El Nino Effects
Coastal communities along the U.S. East Coast may be at risk to higher sea levels accompanied by more destructive storm surges in future El Niño years, according to a new study by NOAA.
NOAA Fairweather Departs on Survey Mission
NOAA Ship Fairweather, a 231-foot survey vessel, departed Kodiak, Alaska, today on a mission to conduct hydrographic surveys in remote areas of the Arctic where…
NOAA Warns of Flooding Risks
Many rivers in the upper Midwest and northern Plains remain above flood stage, and the threat for more flooding will continue through the summer, forecasters at…
BOEMRE and NOAA Increase Coordination, Collaboration
As the International Oil Spill Conference kicks off in Portland, Ore. today, co-sponsors the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced that they have signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to increase their coordination and collaboration to ensure the environmentally sound offshore energy development.
