Adopt a Drifter Dashboard

Dynamic Tracking Page

How to Navigate Return to Adopt a Drifter Homepage
Historical Adopted Drifters
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Current Adopted Drifters
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Total Active Drifters
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Global Drifter Array — Click on a Drifter!
Map Guide: Each dot represents a NOAA drifting buoy floating in the ocean. Blue dots show all of the drifters in the global array over the last 48 hours. Red dots show the specific drifters that schools have adopted! Click any dot to see details about it or trace its route. All drifters record their location (in latitude or longitude), and the temperature of the water's surface (sea surface temperature, SST) every time they transmit data. Some also record the air pressure at the surface of the water (sea level pressure, SLP). Each drifter's ID card reports these metrics, which are unique to each drifter, differentiated by an ID number called a WMO number.
Currently Active ADP Drifters
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Historical (Inactive) ADP Drifters
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Total ADP Program Coverage
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ADP Past & Present — Every Drifter's Deployment Location
Map Guide: Each dot marks where an ADP-adopted drifter was first deployed — not its current or final position — so this map shows the full geographic reach of the Adopt a Drifter Program over its entire history. ● Solid red dots are drifters currently active and transmitting. ○ Hollow gray dots are historical drifters that are no longer transmitting. Click any dot, or use the dropdown above, to open that drifter's full passport and trajectory.
Why Your Drifter Matters

Your drifter is part of a global network of ocean monitoring! It helps us understand the oceans, weather, marine life, and much more.

Location

Tracks location (latitude & longitude), which is used to map drifter paths, and calculate how fast it moves through ocean currents.

Temperature (SST)

Measures the temperature of the water's surface, informing weather forecasts. Units are in degrees Fahrenheit. Average SST is 68°F, but this varies across regions and seasons - pay attention to how your drifter's temperature compares!

Pressure (SLP)

Records the pressure of the air at sea level, informing weather forecasts. Units are in hectopascals (hPa), used to gauge air pressure. The average atmospheric air pressure is 1013 - see how your drifter compares to that average.

Drifter Interactive Map
Trajectory Map Guide: This map shows your drifter's latest recorded location. Use the buttons below to view its full trajectory, see it move over time, or analyze sea surface temperature over its path. You can adjust the time frame of the trajectory using the Time Range dropdown menu at the top of the map once you click “view your drifter’s trajectory”.
Average Temperature
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Highest Temperature
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Lowest Temperature
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Average Air Pressure
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Map Options
Slide to trace your buoy's path over time
Start End
Date: --
Drifter Passport

Select a Drifter

WMO ID: -- | Type: --

● Active
Lifetime: -- Days

Adoption Info

Educator--
Deployment Date--
School / Org--
Adoption Date--
Click to zoom

Passport Stamps Click a badge for info!

🛣️
Ocean Traveler -- Nautical Miles
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Voyager -- / 100 Days
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Speedster -- m/s
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Pressure Pusher -- hPa
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Thermal Ranger --°

What's Onboard?

Cargo Inspector
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Deployed: -- Latest Transmission: --
Water Temperature Trend
Sea Surface Temperature Graph Guide: The X-axis represents time (specific dates), and the Y-axis shows temperature values in degrees Fahrenheit. Look for cycles, spikes, or cooling trends as the drifter moves through the ocean over time. Average SST is 68°F, but this varies across regions and seasons - pay attention to how your drifter's temperature compares!
Sea Level Pressure Trend
Sea Level Pressure Graph Guide: The X-axis represents time (specific dates), and the Y axis shows pressure at sea level in hectopascals (hPa). Drops in this line plot may mean stormy weather conditions passed over your drifter. The average atmospheric air pressure is 1013 - see how your drifter compares to that average.
Map Reference for Labs
▼ Lab Activity: Sea Surface Temperature

Find the peak water temperature and convert between Fahrenheit and Celsius.

▼ Lab Activity: Distance

Measure how far your drifter is from land or your school, and convert those miles to comparable units.

▼ Lab Activity: Satellite Explorer

Switch to satellite imagery to observe your drifter's trajectory atop oceanic features.

▼ Lab Activity: Build Your Own Graph

Select variables, choose colors, and customize titles to create your own data visualizations.

▼ Lab Activity: Visual Data Explorer

Analyze raw data by considering these data literacy questions.

▼ Lab Activity: Sea Surface Velocity

Learn how to calculate ocean current speeds from your drifter's data and try it yourself.

Graph & Data Options
Saved Graph Gallery
Data Table
# Date & Time (UTC) Latitude Longitude SST (Water Temp) SLP (Air Pressure)
Please select a drifter from the dropdown above to view data rows.
Observations over time
Water Temperature Trend
Sea Level Pressure Trend

Drifter Resources

Adopt a Drifter Program Webpage

Explore the official program website.

View ADP Webpage →

Why Your Drifter Matters

Explore how drifters contribute to our understanding of the ocean and weather and how they can support learning.

View WDDM Webpage →

Adopt a Drifter Teacher Resources

Find additional teacher resources, lesson plans, and activities, and learn how the Program aligns with NGSS standards.

View ADP Teacher Resources →

Data Resources

Data Access

Directly access and download drifter data from NOAA's ERDDAP server.

Data Portal →
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Badge Details

Passport Milestone

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🎯 Achievement Requirement:
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