NOAA in your backyard: Northwest

Educational opportunities and staff for Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Northern California

NOAA in Your State & Territory

State by state listings of NOAA facilities and programs
A summary of NOAA facilities, staff, programs, or activities based in, or focused on, your state or territory.

National Weather Service

School visits • Forecast office tours • Student and educator resources
The National Weather Service provides weather, hydrologic, and climate forecasts and warnings for the United States, its territories, adjacent waters and ocean areas.

  • To find your local Weather Forecast Office (WFO), visit the National Weather Service local contact page and click on your state. There will be a name, email address, and phone number for the WFO that serves your area.
  • Visit weather.gov and enter your zip code to find your local WFO.

National Estuarine Research Reserve System

Field trips • Professional development • Educator resources
The National Estuarine Research Reserves System protects more than 1.3 million coastal and estuarine acres in 30 reserves located in 24 states and Puerto Rico for purposes of long-term research, environmental monitoring, education and stewardship.

NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries

Field trips • Professional development • Educator resources
NOAA’s 14 National Marine Sanctuaries serve as the trustee for the nation’s system of marine protected areas, to conserve, protect, and enhance their biodiversity, ecological integrity, and cultural legacy.

National Sea Grant Program

Professional development • Curriculum • Student and educator resources
Sea Grant is a nationwide network of 34 university-based programs that conduct scientific research, education, training, and extension projects designed to foster science-based decisions about the use and conservation of our aquatic resources.

NOAA Marine Debris Program

Lesson plans and curricula • Stewardship projects • Media library
The NOAA Marine Debris Program envisions the global ocean and its coasts free from the impacts of marine debris.

NOAA Fisheries

Student opportunities • Laboratory facilities • NOAA scientists • Educator resources
The NOAA Fisheries Service is dedicated to the stewardship of living marine resources through science-based conservation and management, and the promotion of healthy ecosystems. They have regional offices and several smaller field offices.

Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS)

Curriculum • Data • Multimedia
The Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS®) is a national-regional partnership working to provide new tools and forecasts to improve safety, enhance the economy, and protect our environment.

Pacific Northwest Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Program

Competitive grants for educator watershed training programs
B-WET is an environmental educator program that promotes locally relevant, experiential learning in the K-12 environment.

Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL)

Climate, ecosystem, and tsunami educator resources
PMEL is a federal laboratory that makes critical observations and conducts groundbreaking research to advance our knowledge of the global ocean and its interactions with the earth, atmosphere, ecosystems, and climate. Key research areas at PMEL include ocean acidification, tsunami detection and forecasting, hydrothermal vent systems, fisheries oceanography, and long term climate monitoring analysis.

NOAA Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R)

Lesson plans • Background information 
OR&R is a center of expertise in preparing for, evaluating, and responding to threats to coastal environments, including oil and chemical spills, releases from hazardous waste sites, and marine debris.

Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean, and Ecosystem Studies (CICOES)

Educator resources • Undergraduate internships • Graduate fellowships • Postdoc research opportunities
Based in Seattle, WA, CICOES is a partnership between the NOAA and the University of Washington, the University of Oregon, and the University of Alaska Fairbanks to research climate change, ocean acidification, fisheries assessments, and tsunami forecasting. 

  • Jed Thompson, Education/Outreach and Communications Specialist: jedthom@uw.edu

Hatfield Marine Science Center (HMSC)

Visitor center • Field trips • Educator professional development • Lesson plans
Located in Newport, OR, the HMSC is a leading marine laboratory distinguished by its collaborative research partnerships. They currently host collaborative research and education programs from seven OSU colleges and six state and federal agencies on their campus.

NOAA Science Camp

Summer program for middle and high school students
NOAA Science Camp is a highly-regarded, collaborative science program for middle school and high school-aged youth, held at the NOAA Western Regional Center in Seattle, WA, where scientists interact directly with camp participants to demonstrate how NOAA's multidisciplinary research addresses environmental issues on local and national levels.

National Ocean Science Bowl (NOSB)

Regional competitions in the ocean sciences
NOTE: The NOSB national office will not host a national finals competition in 2023-24 or 2024-25. Some regional offices will be hosting competitions. Please reach out to contacts below for more details.
The NOSB is a national high school academic competition with regional competitions for student teams to test their knowledge of the marine sciences including biology, chemistry, physics, and geology.

Local NOAA vessels

Follow current science off the coast of Washington, Oregon, and Northern California

Historical and real-time data

Local historical weather events and data

NOAA Science on a Sphere® (SOS) locations

Earth systems data projected on a six-foot globe
SOS is a room-sized, global display system that uses computers and video projectors to display data onto a six foot diameter sphere, analogous to a giant animated globe. It was developed by researchers at NOAA to help illustrate complex environmental processes in a captivating way.