Ocean Surface Winds Derived from the SeaWinds Scatterometer

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

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 NSCAT2. 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.

This data is considered to be of research quality, and the presented wind speed and direction quantities should not be considered absolute. In storms with high wind gradients, the wind speed values will be underestimated.

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.

Note that this image product is not considered operational at NOAA at this time. While reliability has been high, this Web page is not supported 24 hours a day.

hourly with any available new data
The images may contain data up to 22 hours previous from update time.

Ascending Pass

Descending Pass

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