Author: AOML Communications

A photo of three men engaged in a discussion while seated at a curved wooden conference table inside a modern auditorium or meeting room.

Advancing extreme weather forecast models through international collaborations

NOAA–India Partnership Advances Next-Generation Coupled Forecasting System for the Indian Ocean Region A long-standing collaboration between NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) and India’s Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) has reached a major new milestone with advancements in the Interactive/Indian Ocean–Land–Atmosphere (IOLA) forecasting system. Scientists from NOAA/AOML, the Indian National Center for Ocean Information […]

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Group photo of the 2026 NOAA AOML Interns in front of a staircase

AOML’s 2026 intern cohort gains first-hand research experience

In celebration of National Intern Day, NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic & Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) is proud to recognize its FY-2026 class of interns. Ranging from high school to graduate students, these talented individuals are gaining hands-on experience across a wide array of research areas—including coral reefs, microbial ecology, hurricanes, ocean acidification, physical oceanography, science communication, and […]

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A satellite radar scan of a hurricane from NOAA and CIRA

To align or not align: decades of Hurricane Hunter radar data yield insights on rapid intensification

Leveraging 27 years of radar scans from Hurricane Hunter aircraft, NOAA and partners reveal new insights into one of the most elusive phases of the tropical cyclone lifecycle – vertical alignment of the vortex, a critical precursor to rapid intensification. This study is the first to use decades of radar observations to identify the storm […]

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New study directly quantifies air-sea momentum exchange in hurricane force winds for the first time

In recent years, uncrewed surface vehicles (USV) have become vital tools used to collect observations to improve hurricane forecasts. To fully understand how storms intensify, scientists need data at the air-sea interface where energy is transferred from the ocean to tropical cyclones. This data is most effectively collected by USVs because of their unique ability to operate in dangerous environments and extreme conditions. In a new study, scientists are able to directly quantify the air-sea momentum exchange (termed ‘wind stress’) and related frictional drag effect that acts to slow a hurricane’s rotating winds. These direct measurements of this process are the first to be collected over the ocean in hurricane-force winds.  

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Satellite image of Hurricane Erin in the Atlantic during the 2025 hurricane season.

How does El Niño Impact Atlantic Hurricane Season

NOAA has released their seasonal outlook for the 2026 hurricane season –  spanning from June 1st to November 30th – reporting a 55% probability of a below average season. This prediction is primarily driven by several factors including a strong El Niño event expected to emerge in the Pacific basin. This phenomenon will disrupt typical […]

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New drone data improves hurricane intensity forecasts

For the first time, data from a small uncrewed aircraft system (sUAS) – Black Swift Technologies’ S0 – will be integrated into NOAA’s hurricane forecast model during the 2026 hurricane season. Scientists from the Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies (CIMAS) and NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) determined that incorporating sUAS data […]

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MISSION ICONIC REEFS SOFAR BUOY

Scientists at AOML monitor the impacts of ocean acidification on reefs with new series of buoys 

Divers drop over the gunnel. Tanks, weights, divers, and a mesh bag full of tools all descend in emerald waters beneath grey skies. Off the vessel’s bow, a yellow beacon blinks with a red flashing light and a thin data cable stretching to the seafloor, all connected to a suite of sensors twenty feet below […]

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A satellite image of Florida surrounded by dark ocean waters with bright green ribbons that denote phytoplankton blooms.

Alongshore winds drive variability of key biogeochemical processes

There’s a unique interplay between surface winds, the Gulf Stream current, and the continental shelf in the South Atlantic Bight (SAB), that has long been overlooked. Researchers have often speculated that the strength of the Gulf Stream and proximity to the coast impacts primary production and other processes driving essential ecosystems. However, to what degree […]

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A researcher in a blue sunshirt and a red life vest looks over the side of a boat as he lowers a water quality instrument into the seawater below.

From sample to source: tracking pollution pathways in AOML’s Molecular and Environmental Microbiology Lab

With sterile sample bottles at the ready, scientists in the Molecular and Environmental Microbiology Lab at NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) prepare to capture water samples for analysis in the lab. Invisible to the naked eye, nutrients, pollutants, and entire communities of bacteria, algae, and other microorganisms drift through these waters leaving clues […]

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