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News Highlights

There's a lot going on at NOAA's National Ocean Service.

A man in an orange hat and yellow life preserver stands in a boat and pulls up a piece of sampling equipment from over the side.
NOAA forecasts an average summer ‘dead zone’ in Gulf of America

This summer’s Gulf of America dead zone is forecasted to be average-sized, covering approximately 5,574 square miles — an area roughly three times the size of Delaware. The low-oxygen area occurs every summer, primarily due to excess nutrient pollution, and can kill fish and other marine life.

An image of a person walking by the beach.
Ocean Month 2025

Did you know that June is National Ocean Month? As America’s leader in coastal and ocean science, technology, and management, we’re celebrating the ocean and its countless resources that inspire us, nourish us, and benefit our local economies.

An image of two surfers walking by the beach.
Beach Safety Week 2025

A trip to the beach should be fun! Unfortunately, many people are injured or killed each year along our nation's beaches by dangerous waves, currents, and other hazards. With beach season upon us, explore the following resources to learn how you can best prepare, stay aware, and take action through changing beach, water, and weather conditions.

An overflight displays oil and gas mixture in an area of marsh environment near Garden Island Bay, Louisiana.
Well #59 Incident Response: Oil and gas release in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana

NOAA’s National Ocean Service is aiding in response to an oil and natural gas release in a marsh environment near the Spectrum OpCo, LLC, Garden Island Bay Production Facility company's well in Plaquemines Parish, southeast of New Orleans, Louisiana.

Aerial view of oil slicks and response vessels after the  Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Deepwater Horizon oil spill: 15 years of recovery, research, and restoration

This April marks 15 years since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill — the largest offshore oil spill in U.S. history. The incident resulted in the tragic loss of 11 lives, the release of approximately 134 gallons of oil into the Gulf of America, and unprecedented impacts to coastal resources and the people who depend on them. NOAA was on the scene from the earliest moments of the event to guide emergency response and environmental assessment efforts; and has continued to work over the past 15 years to restore the Gulf, advance oil spill science and technologies, and improve preparedness to support future events.

The Top 40

Looking for a recent story? Here are our latest 40 posts.

  1. NOAA forecasts an average summer 'dead zone' in Gulf of America
    11 June 2025
  2. Ocean Month 2025
    06 June 2025
  3. Beach Safety Week 2025
    19 May 2025
  4. Well #59 Incident Response: Oil and gas release in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana
    02 May 2025
  5. Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: 15 Years of Recovery, Research, and Restoration
    16 Apr 2025
  6. NOAA’s National Ocean Service: Working for you!
    5 Mar 2025
  7. National Ocean Service experts, technology support DCA aircraft collision recovery efforts
    24 Feb 2025
  8. New data for improved navigation in the upper Hudson River
    30 Jan 2025
  9. NOS drift card used to track 1976 oil spill found
    17 Jan 2025
  10. $40 million recovered from polluters for restoration in three states
    13 Jan 2025
  11. National Ocean Service releases first modeled water level and wave dataset
    13 Jan 2025
  12. Corals Week 2024
    9 Dec 2024
  13. Explore planet Earth with Teek and Tom!
    3 Dec 2024
  14. Employment in Coastal Inundation Zones dataviewer is a new aid to coastal planners
    12 Nov 2024
  15. National Ocean Service helps reopen Florida ports after Hurricane Milton
    18 Oct 2024
  16. Hurricane Milton: aerial imagery
    11 Oct 2024
  17. Hurricane Helene: aerial imagery
    27 Sep 2024
  18. Hurricane Francine: aerial imagery
    16 Sep 2024
  19. NOAA launches new Salish Seas and Columbia River operational forecast system
    16 Sep 2024
  20. Helping protect Caribbean region’s coastal zones an exciting adventure
    26 Aug 2024
  21. Hurricane Debby: aerial imagery
    8 Aug 2024
  22. NOAA study validates sea level data for future flood risk outlooks
    26 June 2024
  23. Exploring the Pacific on NOAA Ship Rainier
    4 Apr 2024
  24. Accurate positioning data for Alaska and the Arctic
    18 Mar 2024
  25. Protecting the nation's coastal ocean
    28 Feb 2024
  26. Reaching New Heights
    5 Feb 2024
  27. Maritime commerce in a changing climate
    1 Nov 2023
  28. Pollution settlement will benefit salmon, wildlife and people in Portland Harbor, Oregon
    1 Nov 2023
  29. Hurricane Lee Emergency Response Imagery
    17 Sep 2023
  30. NOS releases modeling strategy
    1 Sep 2023
  31. Hurricane Idalia: Aerial Imagery
    31 Aug 2023
  32. Coastal Resilience: How the National Ocean Service supports this national priority
    18 Aug 2023
  33. Studying the health of dolphins after pollution
    10 Mar 2023
  34. December 2022 water levels break eight historical records
    19 Jan 2023
  35. NOS Fiscal Year 2022: Year in Review
    18 Jan 2023
  36. NOAA to Launch Major Advancement in Seasonal High Tide Flooding Predictions
    14 Dec 2022
  37. Corals Week 2022
    2 Dec 2022
  38. Meet the International Coral Reef Initiative
    2 Dec 2022
  39. NOAA Winter High Tide Bulletin
    15 Nov 2022
  40. Save Spectacular: Celebrating 50 Years of National Marine Sanctuaries
    21 Oct 2022
  41. Looking Back and Looking Forward
    11 Oct 2022
  42. Hurricane Ian: Damage Assessment Imagery Available
    30 Sep 2022
  43. Ramping Up Renewable Energy: How NOS is helping boost offshore wind energy in the US
    21 Sep 2022