NOAA News & Stories

Stay up to date with the latest meteorological breakthroughs, ocean sciences, and severe weather updates directly from official sources.

Top Stories Apr 01, 2026

Ships and planes and crews, oh my! Join us April 6-10 for #NOAAFleetWeek

Ships and planes and crews, oh my! Join us April 6-10 for #NOAAFleetWeek Fleet Week: Get virtual, behind-the-scenes access to NOAA ships, planes, NOAA Corps officers and crew from April 6-10, 2026. Follow along on our social channels using the hashtag #NOAAFleetWeek. (Image credit: NOAA OMAO) Download Image April 6, 2026 Marine & Aviation NOAA ships NOAA planes NOAA Corps 0 Off
Top Stories Apr 01, 2026

Join us April 8 for #SafePlaceSelfieDay: Where would you go?

Join us April 8 for #SafePlaceSelfieDay: Where would you go? Download Image April 1, 2026 Weather weather safety severe weather tornadoes severe storms 0 Off
Top Stories Mar 31, 2026

Hurricane Experts to host preparedness mission in Florida Keys and Caribbean

Hurricane Experts to host preparedness mission in Florida Keys and Caribbean April 6, 2026 Students line up to board the U.S. Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, during the 2022 Caribbean Hurricane Awareness Tour. (Image credit: NOAA NHC) Download Image Media invited to tour Hurricane Hunter aircraft during Caribbean Hurricane Awareness Tour As the 2026 hurricane season approaches, NOAA and the U.S. Air Force Reserve will host a series of events in the Florida Keys and the Caribbean to raise awareness of hurricane preparedness for the upcoming season, which officially begins on June 1.National Hurricane Center (NHC) Director Michael Brennan, along with other NHC and National Weather Service staff, will visit with local officials and emergency managers of hurricane-vulnerable communities and discuss hurricane preparedness, resilience, and how they can become “weather-ready.” An Air Force Reserve Command WC-130J “Hurricane Hunter” aircraft will be on hand to highlight how scientists collect data about hurricanes. Some locations offer public tours; details regarding availability are noted below.WHAT:NOAA’s Caribbean Hurricane Awareness Tour WHEN:Tuesday, April 14 through Saturday, April 18, 2026WHERE:April 14, Florida Keys Marathon International Airport in Marathon, Florida(Public tours begin at 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. EDT)April 15, Juan Manuel Gálvez International Airport in Roatan, Honduras(Media availability at 10:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.)April 16, Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport in Belize City, Belize(Media availability at 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. CST)April 18, Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport, Isla Grande, Puerto Rico(Public tours begin at 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. AST)WHO:Michael Brennan, director, NOAA’s National Hurricane Center Robbie Berg, warning coordination meteorologist, NOAA’s National Hurricane Center Jose Alamo, meteorologist, NOAA’s Weather Prediction CenterSandy Delgado, meteorologist, NOAA's National Hurricane CenterKerri Englert, flight director, NOAA’s Aircraft Operations Center LCDR David Keith, aircraft acquisition deputy director, NOAA Marine and Aviation OperationsFlight crew from the U.S. Air Force Reserve aircraftThe NOAA Hurricane Hunters, stationed at the Aircraft Operations Center in Lakeland, Florida, fly missions into tropical cyclones to gather data to support storm forecasts and research. NOAA’s Lockheed WP-3D Orion, which is celebrating 50 years of service, and Gulfstream IV-SP are piloted by NOAA Commissioned Corps officers and crewed by NOAA meteorologists, technicians and researchers. You can take a virtual tour of these aircraft here.  Media contactsFor interviews with NOAA experts, contact NOAA Public Affairs Officer Maria Torres, NOAA, [email protected], (305) 433-1933For interviews with U.S. Air Force Reserve experts, contact Lt. Col. Marnee Losurdo, USAF Reserve, 403rd Wing Public Affairs, [email protected], (228) 377-2056 Weather hurricane hunters hurricane season 0
Top Stories Mar 31, 2026

ProTechnology Innovation Showcase: Unmanned Platforms

ProTechnology Innovation Showcase: Unmanned Platforms March 31, 2026 A very successful ProTechnology Innovation Showcase was held on March 25, 2026 featuring data modeling.  We had over 250 attendees and featured presentations from six different ProTech Prime vendors and their teams.  Please find a copy of their presentations here: Link to Presentations offsite linkPlease keep an eye out for the next ProTechnology Innovation Showcase as we plan to hold them regularly and a wide variety of topics, you can find more information on our news and events page. If you have suggestions for a topic for our next event or wish to provide feedback on our initial gathering, we encourage you to share your thoughts by completing this Google form: Link to Feedback Form offsite linkThank you for your time and we look forward to seeing you at the next ProTechnology Innovation Showcase. The recent ProTechnology Innovation Showcase, held on March 25, 2026, focused on data modeling and was a resounding success! We hosted over 250 attendees and featured insightful presentations from six ProTech Prime vendors and their teams.You can access the presentation materials here: Link to Presentations offsite linkWe plan to hold these ProTechnology Innovation Showcases regularly, covering a wide range of topics. Be sure to check our news and events page for updates on the next event.We value your input! To suggest a topic for an upcoming showcase or to provide feedback on this initial gathering, please complete our Google form: Link to Feedback Form offsite linkThank you for your participation; we look forward to welcoming you at the next ProTechnology Innovation Showcase. ProTech Acquisition & Grants ProTech 0 Off
Top Stories Mar 30, 2026

A new era of trash talk? Florida universities collaborate to address marine debris

A new era of trash talk? Florida universities collaborate to address marine debris A litter boom installed in Anclote Creek by University of Florida’s Operation TRAP prevents trash from flowing downstream in. (Image credit: NOAA Marine Debris Program) Download Image March 13, 2026 Florida’s oldest public universities, Florida State University and the University of Florida, have long shared a spirited rivalry in athletics, academics, research, and regional influence. This well-known tension, sometimes called the “Sunshine State Showdown,” inspires steadfast loyalty from alumni and students alike. Education 0 Off
Top Stories Mar 30, 2026

Watch live: Expedition to advance deep-sea coral restoration

Watch live: Expedition to advance deep-sea coral restoration Deep-sea scleractinian coral Lophelia pertusa with a bubblegum octocoral (in red, Paragorgia sp.) at 300 meters depth on Piggy Bank in Southern California’s Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. (Image credit: NOAA / Marine Applied Research and Exploration (MARE).) Download Image March 23, 2026 Throughout an upcoming expedition to restore deep-sea corals, NOAA and our partners will host public livestreams offering an opportunity to see restoration efforts up close. Viewers will also be able to ask experts questions in real time! Education 0 Off
Top Stories Mar 30, 2026

Staying one step ahead of tsunamis

Staying one step ahead of tsunamis (Image credit: Richard Madsen) Download Image March 23, 2026 Tsunamis can be devastating, unpredictable events that have caused over 250,000 fatalities since the beginning of the 21st century—as well as hundreds of billions of dollars in damage to property and infrastructure. The harrowing scale of the destruction they cause can raise doubts over the difference that mere data can make. While no amount of tsunami data can prevent the disasters from occurring, collecting and storing it saves countless lives. Education 0 Off
Top Stories Mar 23, 2026

NOAA ship to map potential critical mineral deposits in U.S. waters of Pacific Ocean

NOAA ship to map potential critical mineral deposits in U.S. waters of Pacific Ocean March 27, 2026 The NOAA Ship Rainier conducts a seabed mapping exercise in the Pacific in 2022. (Image credit: NOAA) Download Image In early April, the NOAA Ship Rainier will begin to map and characterize more than 8,000 square nautical miles of federal waters off Kingman Reef and Palmyra Atoll in the Pacific Ocean. This project is part of the Department of Commerce's implementation of the U.S. Offshore Critical Minerals Mapping Plan, as described in President Trump’s Executive Order 14285: Unleashing America's Offshore Critical Minerals and Resources.The Rainier is a hydrographic survey ship staffed by NOAA Corps Officers and professional mariners. The first survey leg will focus on mapping with multibeam echo sounders in deep water. The second survey leg will use autonomous underwater vehicles from Orpheus Ocean offsite link to acquire high-resolution seabed imagery and geological samples, in partnership with the NOAA Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute offsite link. “Nearly half of U.S. waters, including this area of the Pacific, have not been mapped to modern standards,” said Neil Jacobs, Ph.D., NOAA administrator. “The Rainier crew will collect high-resolution survey data in this area for the very first time to deepen our understanding of its seabed composition.” NOAA will produce publicly accessible maps and images of these federal waters in the Pacific. These products will inform NOAA, other federal agencies and interested parties of the likelihood of finding critical mineral deposits in the surveyed area. This effort will generate high-quality, deep-ocean data to help increase the baseline understanding of the deep-ocean environment, as well as stimulate further potential exploration, research and management projects, including activities related to critical minerals.About deep seabed mineral developmentDeep seabed mining is the extraction of nodules containing critical minerals from the ocean floor. Some regions of the deep seabed contain an abundance of valuable resources like manganese, nickel, cobalt, copper and rare earth elements. Critical minerals are used in everything from defense systems and batteries to smartphones and medical devices and are increasingly important components for American manufacturing. Access to these minerals is a key factor in the resilience of U.S. supply chains. Learn more by visiting NOAA’s National Ocean Service website.  Media contactNational Ocean Service Public Affairs Team, [email protected] Ocean & Coasts mineral development deep seabed mining seafloor mapping 0
Top Stories Mar 23, 2026

National Hurricane Center to issue new forecast cone graphics for 2026 hurricane season

National Hurricane Center to issue new forecast cone graphics for 2026 hurricane season Other product enhancements include Hawaii Storm Surge Watches & Warnings March 24, 2026 Image of Hurricane Milton from NOAA's GOES-16 satellite on Oct. 8, 2024. (Image credit: NOAA) Download Image As part of a suite of product improvements for the 2026 hurricane season [PDF], NOAA’s National Hurricane Center (NHC) is implementing two new tropical products and services: a new operational hurricane track cone map, and new storm surge alerts for Hawaii.“These improvements empower communities to prepare earlier and more effectively for dangerous hazards from tropical storms and hurricanes,” said Michael Brennan, director, NOAA’s National Hurricane Center. Improved Tropical Cyclone Forecast ConeThe tropical cyclone graphic helps communities remain vigilant from the dangers posed by wind hazards associated with hurricanes and tropical storms, including in locations away from the coast. In 2026, the forecast cone will now include tropical storm and hurricane watches and warnings for inland areas. The additional information follows a successful experimental phase last year, which demonstrated the improved forecast cone enabled inland communities to better understand and prepare for the danger posed by tropical cyclone winds. An example of the 2026 version of the cone graphic for Hurricane Milton (2024) that shows inland watches and warnings.(Image credit: NOAA National Hurricane Center)Download Image What to know about the new cone graphic:Incorporates all land-based (coastal and inland) tropical storm and hurricane watches and warnings in effect for the continental United States, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands;Uses single shading for the entire 5-day outlook cone;Legend depicts symbols for areas where a hurricane watch and tropical storm warning are both in effect (represented by diagonal pink and blue lines); andFull and intermediate Tropical Cyclone Advisories are/will be publicly available on hurricanes.gov.NHC will also be introducing a new experimental version of the NHC’s Tropical Cyclone Track Forecast Cone. Since its debut in 2002, the cone has shown where the tropical cyclone’s forecast center is likely to go, based on past forecast calculations. Beginning in 2026, the experimental cone will use ellipses anchored at each NHC forecast point, allowing for the experimental cone to capture a range of possibilities for both the speed and direction of the tropical cyclone’s forecast path. NHC will experiment changing two aspects of the cone using ellipses (instead of circles) to account for errors in speed and direction, and the cone will include 90% of forecast track possibilities, instead of the traditional 67% forecast error. The experimental cone graphic will be available on hurricanes.gov for full and intermediate advisories. During the experimental phase, technical issues could affect the timeliness or availability of the graphic.New storm surge products for HawaiiThe new products and services for the Hawaiian Islands include storm surge watches and warnings and a peak storm surge graphic. This expands the NHC’s storm surge products and services that are currently serving the U.S. East Coast and Gulf of America coastline, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A 2026 example of a new Potential Storm Surge Watch and Warning Graphic for the Hawaiian Islands. (Image credit: NOAA National Hurricane Center)Download Image What to know about the new storm surge products for Hawaii:Deliver probability-based forecasts of water and storm surge levels within 72 hours of hurricane impacts; Incorporate forecast inputs such as storm track, wind intensity, and wind radii; andAre publicly available for the main Hawaiian Islands.These new and improved products and services are a continuation of NHC’s focus to improve public safety messaging and advance the public’s understanding of hazards associated with tropical storms.   Media contactMaria Torres, NOAA National Hurricane Center, [email protected] Weather hurricane season hurricanes tropical storms tropical cyclones forecasting 0
Top Stories Mar 23, 2026

Celebrate Seal & Sea Lion Week

Celebrate Seal & Sea Lion Week Graphic displaying Steller sea lion, spotted seal, bearded seal, and swimming Hawaiian monk seal and ribbon seal. (Image credit: NOAA Fisheries) Download Image March 23, 2026 Fisheries 0 Off

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