Fun and educational videos for learning about satellites and monitoring weather on Earth and in space.
Lightning can be a beautiful—and scary—part of Earth’s weather. You probably have seen lightning in a thunderstorm, but do you know why lightning happens? Download Video | Transcript Credit: NOAA SciJinks
If you’ve ever spent a day at the beach, you’ve probably noticed that the ocean water is constantly moving. Waves cause the ocean to move all day long. And tides cause the ocean to rise and fall twice each day. But what exactly causes high tides and low tides? Download Video | Transcript Credit: NOAA SciJinks
Clouds are often one of the first things we notice when we look up into the sky. They’re all made of water droplets or ice crystals, but they can take on lots of different appearances. Different types of clouds include cumulus, altocumulus, cirrocumulus, altostratus, nimbostratus and cumulonimbus clouds. Download Video | Transcript Credit: NOAA SciJinks
Wind is a part of weather that we’ve all experienced at one time or another. And whether it’s a welcome breeze on a hot day, or a destructive gust during a storm, it all starts in the same way: differences in air pressure. Download Video | Transcript Credit: NOAA SciJinks
The swirling, funnel-shaped winds of a tornado are easily recognizable—and they can be very dangerous. But what causes these unique and violent weather phenomena? Download Video | Transcript Credit: SciJinks
Jet streams are bands of strong wind that generally blow from west to east all across the globe. They impact weather, air travel and many other things that take place in our atmosphere. Download Video | Transcript | Jet Stream ArticleCredit: SciJinks
Hurricanes are very large and intense storms. But where do these giant storms come from? Learn how hurricanes form and how GOES-R satellites can help predict a storm's intensity and track it minute-by-minute. This information allows meteorologists to deliver early warnings and help people stay safe. Download poster | Download Video | Transcript Credit: SciJinks
All thunderstorms need the same ingredients: moisture, unstable air and lift. Moisture usually comes from oceans. Unstable air forms when warm, moist air is near the ground and cold, dry air is above. Lift comes from differences in air density. It pushes unstable air upward, creating a tall thunderstorm cloud. Download poster | Download Video | Transcript Credit: SciJinks
Wildfires are uncontrolled fires that spread quickly, destroying homes and the environment nearby. Conditions in the weather and environment—such as drought, winds and extreme heat—can cause a fire to spread more quickly. NOAA’s GOES satellites can provide information about these fires and conditions to help us stay safe. Download poster | Download Video | Transcript Credit: SciJinks
How do satellites stay in orbit? When a satellite is in orbit, it has a perfect balance between its momentum and Earth’s gravity. Download poster | Download Video | Transcript Credit: SciJinks
GOES-R Series satellites keep an eye on Earth’s weather from orbit 22,000 miles above. But how does your local weather forecaster know what a satellite sees? Learn how data from satellites in the GOES-R Series are used for your local weather forecast in this animated video. A downloadable poster is also available. Download Video| Transcript Credit: SciJinks
How do GOES-R Series satellites get from Colorado, where they’re built, to Kennedy Space Center for launch? Watch this fun video to learn more about a GOES-R Series satellite’s travels from construction to orbit! A downloadable poster is also available. Download Video | Transcript Credit: SciJinks
From weather and hazards on Earth to search and rescue and bursts of energy from the sun, GOES-R Series satellites see it all from 22,000 miles above our planet! Watch this fun animation that tells the story of a GOES-R Series satellite. A downloadable poster is also available. Download Video | Transcript Credit: SciJinks
What’s the deal with crackling and flashing clouds? This animation explains lightning and how the GOES-R series satellites will better monitor in-cloud lightning to help alert people to dangerous and intensifying storms. A downloadable poster is also available. Credit: SciJinks
The sun isn’t only a burning ball of immensely hot gas. It’s a burning ball of immensely hot gas with a temper! This animation explains space weather and how the GOES-R series satellites will help monitor it. A downloadable poster is also available. Credit: SciJinks