Artist's conception of NPOESS, NOAA Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satelllite System, the next generation of low earth orbiting environmental satellites.

Artist's conception of GOES-R environmental satellite.

First GOES-14 colorful combination visible and infrared fulldisk image. Hurricane Bill is in the Atlantic Ocean in right center of image. As opposed to the date on the image, GOES-14 was launched on June 27, 2009.

GOES-14 first visible image. GOES-14 was launched June 26, 2009.

Hurricane Ike approaching the Texas coast.

GOES satellite observing Earth

Computer are illustrating NOAA's mission from the surface of the sun to the bottom of the sea.

Launch of NOAA-N which became NOAA-18 after launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base.

Hurricanes Igor and Julia are both category 4 hurricanes at this time. Igor was threatening Bermuda at this time while Julia was expected to remain well at sea. Both were fueled by very warm sea surface temperatures.

Launch of GOES-P, which upon becoming operational became GOES 15, from Cape Canaveral. It is now GOES West.

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GOES infrared imagery is shown from over the East Pacific. This image was produced for NOAA Kids Day.

Hurricane Wilma had the lowest central pressure of any tropical cyclone ever recorded in the Atlantic -- making it one of history's most intense hurricanes.

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A low pressure system producing a line of storms over parts of the Southern and Eastern United States. Florida is in the bottom center.

Conceptual diagram of NOAA satellite systems. NOAA operates two satellite systems. Geostationary satellites (GOES) orbit the Earth at a speed equal to its rotation, so they seem to be held in one place, providing continuous coverage of the western hemisphere. Polar orbiting satellites continuously orbit the earth from pole to pole and provide worldwide coverage.

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Hurricane Hugo the day before landfall as seen from the GOES-7 satellite. As of 2009, Hugo ranked number 8 on the list of costliest mainland-falling hurricanes , number 11 as most intense, and was the only Category 4 hurricane to make landfall in the 1980's.

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A weakening storm system heading eastward, producing rain over parts of the Midwest, South, and Northeast.

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A powerful storm developing over the midwest which dumped copious snow and sleet from Oklahoma to the Atlantic coast.

A developing low off the Mid-Atlantic states that brought winter storm conditions to parts of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee. Deep layer cyclonic flow and low pressure cover the Atlantic Ocean north of 28N and west of 40 W.

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A hemispheric view on Earth Day 2010.

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The Gulf Stream seen clearly off the East Coast of the United States. The Loop Current which feeds into the Gulf Stream is seen clearly in the Gulf of Mexico providing visual evidence for the origin of its name.

This intense storm system brought severe flooding and tornadoes to Tennessee and other parts of the Central and Southeast U.S. on Sunday, May 2. The system moved to the east and brought severe weather to the Atlanta region.

Cloud formation in the shape of a "P" above the Atlantic Ocean. At over 4,800 Km (2980 miles wide), this could be the largest letter ever seen.

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Arctic sea ice rapidly melting. The red line shows the average extent of sea ice for June 21st. The Arctic sea ice extent at the time of this image was even lower than the record low year of 2007.

Antarctic ice extent in June of 2010 were much higher than what had been observed historically from satellites. However, although sea ice seems to be increasing in extent, melting of the ice sheets is continuing at fast rates as is calving of icebergs from the mainland. As of the time of this image, some areas of Antarctica were experiencing high temperature anomalies.

A very active Intertropical Convergence Zone showing from west to east Hurricane Celia heading west in the Pacific, major Hurricane Darby south of Mexico along the same latitude as Celia, a strengthening tropical disturbance in the Caribbean Sea, and a tropical wave just east of the northern Leeward Islands.

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Yucatan storm signature seen in sea surface temperature. A storm system hovering over the Yucatan Peninsula probably caused cooling with offshore flow causing upwelling of cooler deep waters north of the peninsula.

A tropical system forms off Africa just north of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ).

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Warm oceans intensifying hurricane season. Fueled by warm ocean temperatures, a series of consecutive storms have formed in the Intertropical Convergence Zone . Hurricanes Danielle and Earl have intensified into major hurricane strength with another system following in Earl's wake. The image shows the amount of heat energy available to fuel hurricane intensification.

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Tropical Depression Hermine located west of Dallas, Texas, with winds near only 25 mph. However, the threat is not finished as this system produced heavy rain and flooding as it moved north-northeast at 10 mph.

Hurricane Igor and Tropical Storm Julia showing Fujiwhara Effect interaction.

From left to right - Hurricane Karl west of the Yucatan Peninsula, Hurricane Igor east of Puerto Rico, and Hurricane Julia in mid-Atlantic.

Hurricane Igor approaches Newfoundland.

Hurricane Gloria made landfall three times before diminishing over New England. It reached Category 4 intensity early in its life, then skirted the coastline of the U.S. Here it is shown skirting the New Jersey coastline.