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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is a U.S. scientific agency with a broad mission that touches daily life, commerce, and environmental stewardship. Established in 1970 by President Richard Nixon, NOAA was created to provide “better protection of life and property from natural hazards” and improve understanding of the environment. Today, NOAA’s work spans weather forecasting, climate monitoring, oceanic and atmospheric research, environmental conservation, and more. Its mission ranges from delivering daily weather forecasts and storm warnings to managing fisheries and conserving coastal ecosystems. NOAA’s services support the economy (affecting over one-third of the U.S. GDP) and rely on cutting-edge science and technology to give decision-makers timely, reliable information.
Weather Forecasting and Climate Monitoring
NOAA is perhaps best known for its role in weather forecasting. Through the National Weather Service (NWS), NOAA provides daily forecasts and severe weather warnings nationwide, helping communities prepare for everything from routine weather to life-threatening storms. These forecasts are critical for public safety and for industries like agriculture, transportation, and aviation. Timely and accurate weather warnings play a fundamental role in protecting life and property, as NOAA leaders emphasize. For example, improved hurricane tracking and storm surge forecasts give coastal residents days of advance notice to evacuate or reinforce their homes, greatly reducing potential casualties and damage. NOAA has continually improved its forecasting capabilities – from deploying advanced Doppler radars to launching new weather satellites – to increase the lead time and accuracy of warnings.
On the climate side, NOAA is a leading authority in climate monitoring. Its scientists track long-term climate trends and extreme events, sharing this information with the public and policymakers. NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) compile vast records of global temperatures, greenhouse gas levels, ocean heat content, and more. The agency’s annual State of the Climate report provides a definitive checkup on Earth’s climate. Notably, the latest report confirmed that 2023 was the warmest year on record globally, with surface temperatures nearly 1°C above the 1991–2020 average. It also found that atmospheric concentrations of major greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide) hit record highs in 2023. By monitoring climate indicators, NOAA delivers objective data on climate change, which is crucial for understanding risks like sea level rise, droughts, and extreme weather patterns. This information feeds into international assessments and informs strategies for climate adaptation and mitigation.
NOAA’s weather and climate services have seen recent innovations that boost their accuracy and utility. In 2023, NOAA introduced a next-generation hurricane forecast model called the Hurricane Analysis and Forecast System (HAFS) to better predict tropical cyclones. Testing over three years showed that HAFS improved hurricane track forecasts by about 8% and intensity forecasts by 10% compared to older models. This advancement means forecasters can anticipate a storm’s path and strength more precisely and further in advance, allowing communities more time to prepare. During the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, the new model successfully predicted instances of rapid intensification (sudden strengthening) in storms, giving emergency managers extra hours to issue evacuations and warnings. These improvements in forecasting translate directly into saved lives and reduced losses during disasters. Similarly, NOAA has enhanced its climate monitoring tools – for instance, deploying new instruments to measure atmospheric carbon dioxide and launching initiatives to improve predictions of phenomena like El Niño/La Niña, which affect global weather patterns. By investing in science, NOAA continues to increase the reliability of the forecasts and climate information that millions of people depend on each day.
Oceanic and Atmospheric Research
Beyond forecasting the daily weather, NOAA is deeply engaged in scientific research of the oceans and atmosphere. The agency’s research enterprise (including the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research and numerous laboratories and observatories) seeks to understand how our ocean, climate, and weather systems work. NOAA’s research ranges from probing the depths of the sea to studying the upper atmosphere. For example, NOAA oceanographers explore uncharted ocean areas, map the seafloor, and investigate marine ecosystems, while NOAA meteorologists and chemists study atmospheric phenomena like air quality, ozone depletion, and climate dynamics. This research not only advances basic science but also underpins NOAA’s operational missions (better forecasts, resource management, etc.) by improving our knowledge of environmental processes.
NOAA’s ocean exploration initiatives have yielded exciting discoveries and critical data. The agency operates dedicated research vessels (like the Okeanos Explorer) equipped with sonar mappers and underwater robots to investigate deep-sea environments. In recent years, NOAA expeditions have mapped thousands of square miles of previously unexplored seafloor. In one 2022 mission, an uncrewed NOAA survey vessel charted over 45,000 square kilometers of seafloor around Alaska’s Aleutian Islands and off California, shedding light on undersea features such as volcanic ridges and canyons. Such mapping efforts contribute to international projects like Seabed 2030, which aims to map the entire global ocean floor by the end of the decade. NOAA’s participation in these efforts is a natural fit with its mission “to understand and predict our changing environment, from the deep sea to outer space”.
NOAA research also extends to marine biology and ecology. NOAA scientists study coral reefs, fisheries, and marine species to understand ecosystems and how they are changing. In a recent example of historical sleuthing, NOAA and partner archaeologists discovered the wreck of a 207-year-old whaling ship named Industry on the Gulf of Mexico seafloor. While that discovery opened a window into maritime history, other NOAA studies address pressing modern issues like ocean acidification (the harmful lowering of ocean pH due to absorbed CO₂) and marine biodiversity loss. NOAA’s research informs conservation strategies; for instance, its surveys of fish populations and ocean conditions help set sustainable fishing limits to prevent overfishing. In the atmosphere, NOAA researchers are pioneers in tracking the composition of the air (such as greenhouse gases and pollutants) and understanding extreme weather behavior. They fly instrumented aircraft into hurricanes, launch high-altitude balloons, and maintain global observation networks to gather data. In 2023, NOAA released its first-ever comprehensive strategy for studying carbon dioxide removal, exploring ways to enhance the ocean’s capacity to pull CO₂ from the air as a potential climate solution. All these research endeavors – whether exploring the abyssal ocean or dissecting storm physics – expand our scientific knowledge and often have practical benefits for environmental management and hazard preparedness.
Environmental Conservation and Policy Influence
Environmental stewardship is a core part of NOAA’s mission. The agency plays a crucial role in conserving marine and coastal ecosystems and in shaping policies that protect our environment. As part of the Department of Commerce, NOAA holds key leadership roles in shaping international policies on oceans, fisheries, climate, space and weather. This means NOAA’s experts often advise on or lead global initiatives – from international fishery agreements to climate change research collaborations. NOAA’s data and scientific assessments are foundational to many policy decisions. For example, NOAA’s climate observations feed into international climate reports, and its fisheries science guides regulations for sustainable fishing both in the U.S. and on the high seas. The agency’s influence extends from local community projects (like coastal restoration efforts) to major international accords (where NOAA officials help represent U.S. interests in ocean and atmospheric science).
On the home front, NOAA is responsible for managing and protecting a vast range of natural resources. One major aspect is overseeing U.S. fisheries and marine wildlife through the National Marine Fisheries Service. NOAA scientists assess fish stocks and marine animal populations, and NOAA managers set catch limits to prevent overfishing and ensure healthy fisheries for future generations. They also enforce laws that protect endangered species such as whales, sea turtles, and seals, as well as regulations that reduce bycatch (accidental catch of non-target species) in commercial fishing. Another key NOAA program is the National Marine Sanctuary System, a network of underwater parks that protect special marine areas. Sanctuaries safeguard coral reefs, kelp forests, shipwreck sites, and other critical habitats while allowing compatible uses like recreation and research. In late 2024, NOAA designated the new Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary off the central California coast – a 4,543 square-mile marine protected area aimed at conserving vibrant ocean biodiversity and cultural heritage. This sanctuary (the nation’s 17th) resulted from a community-driven proposal led by the local Chumash people, reflecting NOAA’s commitment to work with Indigenous groups and stakeholders in conservation efforts. By establishing this sanctuary – the third-largest in the U.S. – NOAA will protect rich kelp forests, whale migration routes, deep-sea coral gardens, and historic sites from harm, while also promoting scientific research and eco-tourism in the region.
NOAA’s conservation impact is also evident in numerous restoration and resilience projects. The agency funds and leads initiatives to restore coastal wetlands, reefs, and fisheries habitats that have been degraded by development or disasters. For instance, NOAA’s Restoration Center has helped rehabilitate salt marshes and oyster reefs that buffer communities from storms and improve water quality. NOAA’s scientists additionally provide critical expertise when environmental disasters strike – such as oil spills or chemical accidents. After the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, NOAA teams were on the front lines assessing damage to wildlife and coasts and advising on cleanup and habitat restoration. The scientific data NOAA gathers guides policymakers in crafting informed environmental regulations and climate policies. In recent years, NOAA has been at the table for national climate initiatives, contributing research on sea-level rise projections and climate adaptation strategies for coastal cities. Whether it’s through advocating science-based fishery management or informing global climate action, NOAA serves as a bridge between science and policy, ensuring that decisions affecting our environment are grounded in solid evidence.
Disaster Response and Preparedness
When natural disasters loom, NOAA is one of the first lines of defense for the nation. The agency’s ability to predict and monitor hazardous events is central to U.S. disaster preparedness and response. NOAA’s National Weather Service issues watches and warnings for hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, winter storms, wildfires, and more – enabling authorities and the public to take action before disaster strikes. For example, the National Hurricane Center (a NOAA division) closely tracks tropical storms and hurricanes, forecasting their path, intensity, and potential storm surge. These forecasts and the accompanying emergency alerts have repeatedly proven their value. Improved hurricane forecasts in recent years have meant more accurate evacuation zones and fewer missed warnings, ultimately saving lives. In 2017, NOAA introduced new storm surge watches and warnings, which provided vital information about where and when life-threatening flooding would occur, directly contributing to lives saved during major hurricanes. For tornadoes and severe thunderstorms, NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center and local Weather Forecast Offices work around the clock to alert communities often minutes to hours ahead of deadly tornadoes. Though tornadoes strike with little warning, those precious minutes of lead time – made possible by Doppler radar and expert forecasters – allow people to seek shelter. NOAA also operates the Pacific and National Tsunami Warning Centers, which rapidly detect undersea earthquakes and issue tsunami warnings across the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. In events like the 2011 Japan tsunami or the 2022 Tonga volcanic eruption, these centers warned U.S. coastal areas well in advance of incoming waves.
Crucially, NOAA doesn’t just forecast disasters – it actively promotes readiness and resilience. The Weather-Ready Nation initiative, for instance, is a NOAA-led effort to partner with communities, businesses, and media to improve preparedness for extreme weather and water events. Through the Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador program, NOAA works with local organizations to spread preparedness messages and develop plans for hazards like hurricanes, floods, and heatwaves. By collaborating with emergency managers and community leaders, NOAA helps ensure that forecasts and warnings lead to effective action (e.g. evacuation plans, storm shelters, securing infrastructure). This kind of outreach is vital because even the best forecast has limited value if people don’t know how to respond. NOAA also assists during and after disasters in practical ways. It deploys teams to conduct damage assessment and aid recovery – for example, NOAA’s aircraft and drones capture aerial imagery of hurricane damage to help responders identify hardest-hit areas. Following hurricanes or coastal floods, NOAA ships survey navigation channels to relocate shifted buoys and ensure ports can reopen safely. The agency’s scientific expertise is frequently tapped in disaster response; NOAA oceanographers may forecast the spread of oil spills, and NOAA meteorologists are embedded in wildfire incident command teams to predict fire weather. All these contributions underscore NOAA’s unique dual role in disasters: providing advance warning to minimize impact, and supplying scientific support to speed up recovery.
Ultimately, the combination of NOAA’s accurate forecasts, its engagement with communities on preparedness, and its on-the-ground support in emergencies has greatly strengthened national resilience to disasters. As one NOAA official put it, as extreme weather events become more common, “every advancement in weather forecasting is critical” to help us better respond and protect lives.
Technological Advancements and Innovations in Data Collection
To accomplish its wide-ranging mission, NOAA continuously develops and adopts new technology for environmental monitoring and prediction. The agency operates some of the most sophisticated observation systems in the world – from satellites circling the globe to sensors on the ocean floor – and it uses powerful computers to turn all that data into useful predictions. Recent years have seen major upgrades to NOAA’s technological toolkit, enhancing both the quantity and quality of environmental data.
One cornerstone of NOAA’s observing system is its fleet of satellites. NOAA manages advanced weather satellites in both geostationary orbit (the GOES series, which watch the Western Hemisphere) and polar orbit (the JPSS series, which circle the Earth from pole to pole). In November 2022, NOAA-21, the newest polar-orbiting satellite, became operational and joined its predecessors Suomi NPP and NOAA-20. Orbiting the planet 14 times a day, NOAA-21 provides a continuous stream of observations that feed into 3–7 day weather forecasts and climate monitoring. These satellites observe a range of environmental factors – including cloud patterns, storms, wildfires, ocean temperatures, and even indicators of climate change like Arctic sea ice. On the geostationary side, NOAA has launched new-generation GOES satellites (GOES-16, -17, and -18) that deliver high-resolution images of developing weather systems as frequently as every 30 seconds. The improved imagery from GOES satellites has given meteorologists unprecedented views of thunderstorm development, hurricanes, and lightning, leading to better short-term forecasts. Looking ahead, NOAA is preparing for the launch of GOES-U (the fourth in the latest GOES-R series) in 2024 to further bolster its space-based observing capabilities.
Another area of rapid progress is NOAA’s computational power. Turning raw observations into reliable forecasts requires massive number-crunching, and NOAA’s supercomputers are the engine behind models of the atmosphere and ocean. In mid-2022, NOAA completed a major upgrade to its Weather and Climate Operational Supercomputing System by installing twin HPE Cray supercomputers nicknamed “Dogwood” and “Cactus.” Each machine initially operated at a peak speed of about 12 petaflops, roughly tripling NOAA’s previous computing capacity. In 2023, NOAA expanded these supercomputers by another 20%, bringing each to 14.5 petaflops of performance and 31 petabytes of data storage. With this upgrade, the agency’s total operational computing power reached roughly 29 quadrillion calculations per second, enabling more complex and higher-resolution models than ever before. These might sound like just numbers, but the impact is tangible: greater computing power lets NOAA run models with finer detail (to better capture local weather features) and run more simulations in parallel (to improve forecast confidence and lead time). As a result, NOAA can now generate more detailed and accurate forecast models that better predict phenomena like severe thunderstorms, heavy rainfall, and winter storms. “This increased supercomputing power allows for upgrades to specific modeling systems that will help weather forecasters deliver more accurate forecasts, watches and warnings,” noted the Director of the NWS, emphasizing that every improvement helps protect lives and property. The investment in supercomputers also supports NOAA’s climate and ocean models, which are vital for seasonal outlooks and long-term climate projections.
Equally exciting is NOAA’s adoption of innovative data-collection methods. Not all critical data comes from traditional satellites or weather stations; NOAA is exploring new frontiers with unmanned and autonomous observing platforms. For instance, NOAA has begun using uncrewed aircraft and marine drones to gather observations in places that are too dangerous or impractical for humans. A dramatic example is NOAA’s partnership with Saildrone, Inc. to send hardy robotic surface drones into the midst of hurricanes. In 2021, a saildrone made history by sailing directly into a Category-4 hurricane (Sam) and transmitting real-time measurements and even video from inside the storm’s eyewall. These solar- and wind-powered craft measure wind speeds, waves, pressure, humidity, and other air-sea interaction data that were previously nearly impossible to collect in such conditions. The data help scientists better understand how hurricanes intensify and improve the models that predict rapid changes in storm strength. NOAA has since deployed multiple saildrones in subsequent hurricane seasons, proving the concept of uncrewed hurricane observation. Similarly, NOAA uses ocean gliders (torpedo-like autonomous submarines) to dive beneath hurricanes and sample the cold/warm water layers that can influence storm intensity. In the atmosphere, NOAA has tested small uncrewed aircraft that can be dropped from planes into a hurricane to surf turbulent winds where weather balloons can’t survive. These uncrewed systems complement NOAA’s manned Hurricane Hunter aircraft and give a more detailed 3D picture of storms.
NOAA is also pushing the envelope with techniques like environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling. Rather than directly counting fish or marine animals (which can be costly and labor-intensive), scientists can take water samples and analyze traces of DNA shed by organisms to detect what species are present. NOAA is investing in eDNA as a rapid, non-intrusive way to monitor biodiversity in oceans and waterways. In fact, a recent NOAA initiative to modernize fisheries science highlighted expanding the use of innovative methods like uncrewed systems, remote sensing, and eDNA collection to broaden NOAA’s observations. By analyzing eDNA, NOAA can identify endangered species in an area or track invasive species, guiding conservation actions without needing to physically spot every creature.
All these technological advances – new satellites, faster computers, autonomous drones, novel sensors – work together to enhance NOAA’s capabilities. With more precise data and better models, NOAA can provide the public and policymakers with information that is not only more accurate but also more specific and timely than ever. For example, higher-resolution model forecasts can pinpoint the neighborhood level for flash flood risks, and eDNA monitoring can quickly reveal shifts in an ecosystem’s health. Embracing innovation has always been part of NOAA’s DNA (the agency and its predecessor organizations have pioneered everything from storm-spotter networks to satellite meteorology). In the face of modern challenges like climate change and more extreme weather, NOAA’s technological edge is crucial for it to fulfill its mission of science, service, and stewardship. As the agency often says, its domain spans “from the bottom of the sea to the surface of the sun,” and keeping an eye on such a vast domain requires nothing less than the most advanced observation and prediction tools that science can offer.
Conclusion
From forecasting tomorrow’s weather to conserving ocean sanctuaries for future generations, NOAA plays an indispensable role in our daily lives and our planet’s health. In recent years, NOAA’s contributions have been especially prominent – improving forecasts that protect communities, advancing climate science, exploring the unknown ocean, safeguarding endangered species, and innovating with new technologies. The agency’s unique blend of operational services, scientific research, and environmental management makes it a leader in addressing some of the greatest challenges of our time, including climate change and natural disasters. NOAA’s work is ever-evolving: as the climate warms and human demands on the ocean grow, NOAA’s mission to understand and predict the Earth’s systems, and to manage our coastal and marine resources wisely, is more critical than ever. By continuing to integrate science with public service, NOAA helps ensure that society can anticipate and adapt to changes in the weather, climate, and oceans. In short, the nation looks to NOAA not only for information about what the atmosphere and oceans are doing today, but also for leadership in securing a resilient, sustainable environment for the future. NOAA’s recent initiatives and long-standing efforts alike underscore its commitment to that vision.
