NOAA's National Ocean Service

An official website of the United States government.
Here's how you know we're official.

Official websites use .gov

A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure websites use HTTPS

A small lock or https:// means you’ve safely connected to a .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

The U.S. government is closed. This site will not be updated; however, NOAA websites and social media channels necessary to protect lives and property will be maintained. To learn more, visit commerce.gov.

For the latest forecasts and critical weather information, visit weather.gov.

tides and currents

nautical charts

career profiles

harmful algal blooms

sea level
rise

Education
Resources

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

A thumbnail image from a NOAA video that says Remembering Hurricane Katrina. Credit: NOAA

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.

TIDES AND CURRENTS

A red life ring hangs on a post at the beach with large rocks embedded in the sand.

Know Your “Blue IQ”

Each year, Americans lose their lives or are severely injured when visiting beaches around the U.S. NOAA’s new video series addresses the disconnect between ocean conditions and what people think they know about beach safety and their swimming strength.

PREPAREDNESS

Aerial view of Highway 12 in Buxton, North Carolina following Hurricane Erin. Credit: NOAA

Hurricane Erin: Aerial imagery

NOAA’s National Geodetic Survey is collecting aerial damage assessment images following Hurricane Erin. Imagery is collected by NOAA aircraft in specific areas identified by NOAA in coordination with federal and state partners.

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.

A boat towing a derelict vessel through the water, side by side.

Removing abandoned boats from D.C. waterways

Communities around Washington, D.C. are working to address the issue of abandoned and derelict vessels in the Anacostia River. A new project aims to remove 28 vessels over four years, and has successfully removed 13 vessels in the first six months of operation.

Around the Ocean Service

Exploring new reefs off Georgia's coast
sanctuaries
Charting the Yukon River as it freezes and thaws
charting
Remembering Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: 20 years later
response and restoration
Exploring American Samoa's twilight reefs
sanctuaries

National Estuaries Week

Around the Ocean Service