U.S. flag An official website of the United States government.
				Here's how you know we're official. **Official websites use .gov** A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
 **Secure websites use HTTPS** A small lock or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to a .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Toggle navigation Toggle search National Ocean Service National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
 Search
					Search National Ocean Service


Home
				Ocean Facts

				Topics
					Explore All Topics 
                        Arctic 
                        Careers 
                        Economy 
                        Ecosystems 
                        Geodesy 
                        Hazards 
                        International
                        Navigation 
                        Observations 
                        Ocean 
                        Recreation 
                         Sea Level Rise 
                        Story Maps 
                        Tools
                
                			Education

				
				News
				Podcasts
				Video
				Images
				About Us


1. Home
2. Ocean Facts

Ocean Observations: What are coquina and tabby? What is a heat dome? What do windward and leeward mean? How many high tides are there per day? What is a SOFAR? What is the Bloop? How do hurricanes form? What is a hydrophone? What is ecoforecasting? Are tides higher when the moon is directly overhead? What is a meteotsunami? What is a current survey? Where is Earth’s Largest Waterfall? What is a Rossby wave? What is a tide gauge? What is a catcher beach? What is a King Tide? Where do I get real-time and forecast coastal conditions? How does sea ice affect global climate? What is the Pineapple Express? How are satellites used to observe the ocean? What is an oil seep? Why do scientists measure sea surface temperature? What is the difference between local sea level and global sea level? What is an oil spill trajectory? What is marine biogeography? What is the Forchhammer's Principle? What is a NOAA tide table? How does NOAA help clean up oil and chemical spills? What is a maritime forest? What is a High Seas Forecast? What is a bight? What is a thermocline? What is HAZMAT? What is an ocean glider? How does NOAA monitor water levels around the nation? What is a marsh organ? What is a turbidity current? Why does the ocean have waves? What is an Operational Forecast System? What is blue carbon? What is PORTS®? What is nuisance flooding? What are the horse latitudes? What is bombogenesis? What is the International Date Line? What is an anchialine pool? What is a hurricane? Why do we name tropical storms? What is a seiche? What is ocean acidification? What is lidar? What is the difference between storm surge and storm tide? What is the difference between a hurricane watch and a warning? What is the difference between an AUV and a ROV? What is the difference between a nautical mile and a knot? What is 'Old Sow'? What is sea foam? How big is the Atlantic Ocean? What is the cryosphere? What is Digital Coast? What is the Storm QuickLook? What is the difference between weather and climate? Is there gold in the ocean? How can you tell the difference between an oil slick and an algal bloom? How did the Hawaiian Islands form? How much of the ocean have we explored? How does pressure change with ocean depth? What is the EEZ? What is the geoid? What is a navigation response team? Why is the ocean salty, but rivers flowing into it are not? Why does the ocean get colder at depth? What is an eddy? What is the difference between a hurricane, a cyclone, and a typhoon? What is a waterspout? What is a tidal wave? Is sea level the same all across the ocean? How is ocean observing data used? Where is all of the Earth's water? Did I find a lost underwater civilization? What is remote sensing? What is IOOS? What are El Nino and La Nina? How is sea level rise related to climate change? What does an oceanographer do? How fast is the Gulf Stream? What is a rogue wave? Where is the highest tide? How far does light travel in the ocean? What is a sonar? What role does the ocean play in the weather? Is sea level rising? What is the longest mountain range on earth? What is a benthic habitat map? How deep is the ocean?
 Browse Ocean Facts  By Category Ocean Basics Ocean Life Ocean Economy Ocean Ecosystems Health & Safety Maritime Transportation Positioning and Geology Ocean Technology Tides and Currents Ocean Observations Ocean and Coastal Places Ocean and Coastal Science     **Search** Our Stories    Get **Social**


Feedback Provide Feedback
							Contact Us
							Report an error
 Social Instagram Logo/a>


*Science. Service.Stewardship.*
 About NOS About Us
							NOS Program Offices
							Media Inquiries
							Website Acknowledgements
                            Site Index
							Disclaimer
 More Resources Freedom of Information Act
							Accessibility
							Information Quality
							Privacy Policy
							NOS For Employees
							USA.gov
 Department of Commerce
									National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
									National Ocean Service