Ocean Temperatures

Ocean temperatures include collecting values for its surface, its depths, as well as using software to model its fluctuations. 

Rising amounts of greenhouse gases are preventing heat from Earth’s surface from escaping into space. Most of the excess heat that doesn’t escape Earth’s atmosphere is passed back to the ocean. As a result, upper ocean heat content has increased significantly over the past few decades, a phenomenon that is continually being monitored by our satellites.

More than 80% of our oceans is unmapped, unobserved and unexplored. The vast body of water that covers over 70% of our planet is subdivided into geographically distinct regions, the boundaries of which have changed over time due to geopolitical or scientific reasons. Read below to see the areas of research that NOAA Satellites currently facilitates on this important issue. 

NOAA creates a daily Optimum Interpolation Sea Surface Temperature (or daily OISST), an analysis constructed by combining observations from different platforms (satellites, ships, buoys, and Argo floats) on a regular global grid. Interpolation of the data then fills in gaps.

marine animals in ocean
Information from NOAA’s Satellite Fleet Helps Point to How Warming Ocean Temperatures Impact Marine Food Web and Whale Distribution
NOAA's satellites utilize microwave and infrared radiometers to measure sea surface temperatures, giving researchers valuable clues about the ocean.
Learn More Information from NOAA’s Satellite Fleet Helps Point to How Warming Ocean Temperatures Impact Marine Food Web and Whale Distribution
Image of a person diving
Why Are Some Coral Reefs Dying? NOAA Satellites & NOAA’s Coral Program Help Conserve These Vulnerable Habitats
The ocean is home to critical coral reef ecosystems that provide a home to millions of plant, fish and marine animals.
Learn More Why Are Some Coral Reefs Dying? NOAA Satellites & NOAA’s Coral Program Help Conserve These Vulnerable Habitats
Image of La Niña Returns to the Eastern Pacific Ocea
NOAA Satellites Observe La Niña Conditions
As announced by the NOAA Climate Prediction Center, La Niña conditions were observed during October, with negative sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in early November stretching across most of the eastern and central equatorial Pacific Ocean.
Learn More NOAA Satellites Observe La Niña Conditions

Articles on Ocean and Coasts

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