Ocean Surface Winds Derived from the SeaWinds Scatterometer

This page includes CURRENT DATA. For previous day's data, click here.

Also available:   QuikSCAT Storm Page
                  QuikSCAT Ocean Page
                  QuikSCAT Ice Products
                  12.5km QuikSCAT Winds
                  Global Ambiguity Page

The following map displays the ocean surface winds at a 10m height from today's satellite passes as processed by NOAA/NESDIS, from near real-time data collected by NASA/JPL's SeaWinds Scatterometer aboard the QuikSCAT. For additional information about SeaWinds or QuikSCAT, please visit JPL's Scatterometer web site. The current empirically derived model function being used by to relate normalized radar cross-section with wind speed and direction is referred to as QSCAT1. The map below has been divided into 30x20 degree bins for closer examination between latitudes 80N to 80S and longitudes 180W to 180E. Just click on the desired geographical location and hopefully a closer look will be provided. Any comments or suggestions are welcome.

Please Note: While these wind data are obtained from the operational data stream available at NOAA/NESDIS, this web site is not maintained with 24x7 support.

The Multidimensional Histogram (MUDH) rain flag is being used at this time.


The wind vector retrievals thought to be rain contaminated are colored in black. While not perfect, the MUDH rain flag appears to mark many of the suspect vectors in regions of probable precipitation, epecially in the tropical latitudes.
Rain can contaminate the wind retrievals, especially in situations with moderate to heavy rain rates.

hourly with any available new data.

The images may contain data up to 22 hours previous from update time.
Details of orbit data files that go into the plots can be found here.

Ascending Pass

Descending Pass

PAUL CHANG
NOAA/NESDIS/ORA
Email: paul.s.chang@noaa.gov

since 1/26/2009.