NOAA’s weather programs touch the lives of every American. Every day, decisions are made based on NOAA weather information – from the mundane "should I pack an umbrella today?” to the most critical and potentially life-saving.
With the mission to protect life and property, and enhance the United States’ economy, NOAA's National Weather Service is the sole official voice of the U.S. Government for issuing warnings during life-threatening weather situations.
Covering the sun to the seas, the National Weather Service provides local and regional forecasts, and emergency alerts for severe storms, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, extreme heat, winter storms, fire threats, tsunamis and solar flares. From its national centers to its 122 Weather Forecast Offices and 13 River Forecast Centers, the National Weather Service is watching over the nation and your neighborhood.
Weather and climate sensitive industries in the United States account for about one-third of the Nation’s Gross Domestic Product. Marine, aviation and space interests rely on National Weather Service information, alerts and warnings. In addition, NOAA has a responsibility to support the growth of an environmental information enterprise, a partnership between government, academia and the private sector.
These services are supported by organizations throughout NOAA, including NOAA's Satellite and Information Service, which maintains the satellites and data used in weather forecasting as well as historical climate records, and research and products provided by NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research and the National Ocean Service to improve forecasting ability.