Data

Data is the foundation of NOAA’s mission. From the seafloor to the upper atmosphere, our continuous observations drive the products and services that protect life, property, and the environment. By managing these critical strategic assets effectively, NOAA ensures public access to high-quality data, maximizing the nation’s investment and fueling the Blue Economy, public health, and national welfare.

As a unique pillar of the Department of Commerce, NOAA manages an expansive data ecosystem that spans from the surface of the sun to the deepest reaches of the ocean. Our mission relies on a sophisticated array of observation platforms—including geostationary and polar-orbiting satellites, the iconic Hurricane Hunter aircraft, and a global network of radars, buoys, and autonomous gliders—complemented by strategic commercial and international partnerships. To transform these tens of terabytes of daily intake into an archive approaching an exabyte, we leverage high-performance supercomputing and adhere to rigorous international standards (WMO, IHO, ISO) for multidimensional data formats. This robust infrastructure is purpose-built to serve an incredibly diverse community of users, providing the critical insights required by meteorologists, oceanographers, surveyors, biologists, and engineers to understand our changing planet.