NOAA's National Ocean Service

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Hurricane season 2025: NOS innovations in preparedness and response

The 2025 hurricane season has officially concluded, and NOS teams were there every step of the way, helping on the ground, from the sea, and in the clouds.

RESPONSE AND RESTORATION

Each December, we celebrate the beauty and significance of coral reef ecosystems. Coral reefs are the most diverse habitats on the planet. They serve as homes for thousands of species of marine life and people rely on them for food, coastal protection, and jobs.

COASTAL SCIENCE

Rear Admiral (select) Christiaan van Westendorp to serve as the next Coast Survey Director

The Director of the Office of Coast Survey leads NOAA’s ocean mapping and nautical charting program, which includes surveying the seafloor, developing navigation products, services, and data-driven models, and reopening ports and waterways following disasters.

CHARTING

NOAA tide gauges support tsunami response

Real-time data from NOAA’s tide gauges enables the quick detection of changing water levels caused by tsunamis. This improves the accuracy of forecasts and allows emergency managers and communities to make informed decisions and take life-saving measures with confidence.

National Estuaries Week

Each September, we celebrate estuaries and the benefits they provide, including recreational opportunities, which are especially important to physical and mental health. Get out and wade into an estuary near you to enjoy these benefits for yourself!

A person in a white hard hat and fluorescent orange jacket stands near the edge of a ship with Alaskan snow-covered land in the distance.

NOAA Ocean Podcast: Harmful algal bloom forecasting in Alaska

Harmful algal blooms occur when an overgrowth of algae produces toxins in a body of water, affecting fish, shellfish, marine mammals, birds, and even people. Ecological forecasting is an important tool for understanding these blooms. Join us for a coastal conversation about HAB forecasting in Alaska and its effects on shellfish harvesting within Indigenous communities.

Around the Ocean Service

Check out the Marine Debris Program Art Contest winners!
response and restoration
Updating nautical charts in Glacier Bay National Park
charting
2025 Lake Erie harmful algal bloom seasonal assessment
coastal science
New environmental sensitivity index data for Lake Michigan
response and restoration

Official websites use .gov

Secure websites use HTTPS

NOAA’s National Ocean Service

tides and currents

nautical charts

career profiles

harmful algal blooms

sea level
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