---
title: JPSS and NOAA polar orbiters
summary: The United States' polar-orbiting weather satellites (NOAA-20, NOAA-21, Suomi NPP).
mount: <div class="card"><p class="kicker">Observing systems</p><div class="wx-scroll" tabindex="0"><svg class="mg" viewBox="0 0 994 136" width="994" height="136" role="img" aria-label="JPSS and NOAA polar orbiters: what it is connected to"><style>.mg text{font:12px var(--sans);fill:var(--ink)}.mg .mg-sub,.mg .mg-verb{font-size:10px;fill:var(--ink-2)}.mg-node rect{fill:var(--surface);stroke:var(--line-2)}.mg-node.me rect{stroke:var(--focus);stroke-width:2}.mg-node.unstated rect{stroke-dasharray:2 3;fill:var(--paper)}a.mg-node:hover rect,a.mg-node:focus rect{stroke:var(--focus);stroke-width:2}.mg-edge{fill:none;stroke:var(--ink-2);stroke-opacity:.55;stroke-width:1}.mg-edge.unv{stroke-dasharray:5 4}</style><path class="mg-edge" d="M232 23C306 23 306 68 380 68"><title>stated on the page: ncei.noaa.gov</title></path><text class="mg-verb" x="240" y="19" text-anchor="start">assimilates</text><a class="mg-node " href="model-gfs.html"><rect x="2" y="8" width="230" height="30" rx="4"/><text x="9" y="21">GFS (NOAA/NCEP)</text><text class="mg-sub" x="9" y="33">Models</text></a><path class="mg-edge" d="M232 63C306 63 306 68 380 68"><title>stated on the page: nesdis.noaa.gov</title></path><text class="mg-verb" x="240" y="59" text-anchor="start">operates</text><a class="mg-node " href="body-noaa.html"><rect x="2" y="48" width="230" height="30" rx="4"/><text x="9" y="61">NOAA (NWS, NCEP, NESDIS)</text><text class="mg-sub" x="9" y="73">Bodies</text></a><path class="mg-edge" d="M232 103C306 103 306 68 380 68"><title>stated on the page: worldview.earthdata.nasa.gov</title></path><text class="mg-verb" x="240" y="99" text-anchor="start">visualises</text><a class="mg-node " href="site-nasa-worldview.html"><rect x="2" y="88" width="230" height="30" rx="4"/><text x="9" y="101">NASA Worldview / GIBS</text><text class="mg-sub" x="9" y="113">Sites and apps</text></a><g class="mg-node me"><rect x="380" y="53" width="230" height="30" rx="4"/><text x="387" y="66">JPSS and NOAA polar orbiters</text><text class="mg-sub" x="387" y="78">Observing systems</text></g></svg></div><p class="wx-legend meta">Left: what points at it. Right: what it points at. Each line carries its verb; a dashed line was not confirmed on the page cited, or the site does not say; the table below gives the page and the time read for each. <span class="prov">From <a href="obs-jpss.json">obs-jpss.json</a></span></p></div>
---
# JPSS and NOAA polar orbiters

> Kept by incident.meteorology@web-summit.dinis, 11 November 2026, 11:36 UTC

[Where a forecast comes from](../index.md) · Observing systems · id `obs-jpss` · [as data](obs-jpss.json)

The United States' polar-orbiting weather satellites (NOAA-20, NOAA-21, Suomi NPP).

**Address:** [https://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/our-satellites/currently-flying/joint-polar-satellite-system](https://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/our-satellites/currently-flying/joint-polar-satellite-system) (leaves this site)

## What it is connected to, and who says so

| This | Verb | That | The page that says so | Read | Check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPSS and NOAA polar orbiters | **assimilated by** | [GFS (NOAA/NCEP)](model-gfs.md) | [ncei.noaa.gov](https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/weather-climate-models/global-data-assimilation): "Products Product Grid/Scale Period of Record Model Cycle Output Timestep Data Access Links GDAS Snow, Ice, SST, Satellite, Ship, Aircraft (GRIB and BUFR) 1°x1° 0.5°x0.5° 0.25°x0.25° 01Jan2001–Present (approx. one year to" | 11:28 UTC, 11 Nov | stated on the page |
| JPSS and NOAA polar orbiters | **operated by** | [NOAA (NWS, NCEP, NESDIS)](body-noaa.md) | [nesdis.noaa.gov](https://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/our-satellites/currently-flying/joint-polar-satellite-system): "Joint Polar Satellite System / NESDIS / National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service Skip to main content An official website of the United States government" | 11:28 UTC, 11 Nov | stated on the page |
| JPSS and NOAA polar orbiters | **visualised by** | [NASA Worldview / GIBS](site-nasa-worldview.md) | [worldview.earthdata.nasa.gov](https://worldview.earthdata.nasa.gov/): "NASA Worldview" | 11:29 UTC, 11 Nov | stated on the page |

## Licence: what we may do with it

**NOAA / US National Weather Service (GFS, NOMADS, Aviation Weather Center, NHC)**: US government work: public domain ([weather.gov](https://www.weather.gov/disclaimer), read 11:30 UTC, 11 Nov, stated on the page).

| Read | Store | Show | Transform | Attribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| yes | yes | yes | yes | Not required; NOAA asks not to claim it as your own and not to imply endorsement. We credit "NOAA/NWS". |

Do not present modified data as official NWS information.


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Not a warning service: this page explains where data comes from. For warnings follow [IPMA](https://www.ipma.pt/pt/otempo/prev-sam/) and ANEPC.