National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

(PD) Image: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NOAA's logo.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is an agency of the United States government, under the authority of the Department of Commerce.

NOAA works toward its mission through these seven major organizations in addition to several special program units:

• NOAA National Weather Service
• National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service
• National Marine Fisheries Service
• NOAA Ocean Service
• NOAA Research
• Office of Marine and Aviation Operations
• Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research
• Program Planning and Integration

National Weather Service

(PD) Image: National Weather Service (United States)
Logo of the National WeatherSeervice.

The National Weather Service (NWS) is responsible for providing "weather, hydrologic, and climate forecasts and warnings for the United States, its territories, adjacent waters and ocean areas, for the protection of life and property and the enhancement of the national economy." This is done through national and regional centers, and more than 120 local weather forecast offices. They are charged with issuing weather forecasts, severe weather advisories, watches, and warnings on a daily basis.

The NWS issues more than 734,000 weather and 850,000 river forecasts, and more than 45,000 severe weather warnings annually. The NWS operates NEXRAD, a nationwide network of Doppler weather radars which can detect precipitation (rainfall). Many of their products are broadcast on NOAA Weather Radio, a network of radio transmitters that broadcasts weather forecasts, severe weather statements, watches and warnings 24 hours a day.

Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR)

The Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR)is part of NOAA's research network consisting of 7 internal research laboratories, extramural research at Sea Grant universities, six undersea research centers, research grants funded by the Climate Program Office, and 13 cooperative institutes with various universities.

The research conducted in the OAR laboratories and by the extramural programs focuses on environmental subjects such as hurricanes and tornados, solar flares, the ozone layer, air pollution transport and dispersion, El Niño/La Niña events, ocean currents, fisheries productivity and coastal ecosystems.

Air Resources Laboratory

The Air Resources Laboratory (ARL) is one of the laboratories in the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research. It develops climate and air quality models including the transport, dispersion and removal of air pollutants from the ambient atmosphere. The specific goal of the ARL is to improve the prediction of trends, dispersion of air pollutant plumes, air quality, atmospheric deposition, and related variables.