The Bureau of Meteorology receives polar orbiter data (i.e. data from satellites whose orbit cross the north and south poles) from two satellites, USA's NOAA satellite, and China's FY-1D satellite. The Bureau's main reception site for NOAA polar orbiting data is Crib Point, with additional sites at Melbourne CBD (until June 2004), Casey, Darwin Alice Springs and Perth. The Bureau archives the 5 channels of the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) High Resolution Picture Transmission (HRPT) data for Melbourne, Casey and Darwin while the Perth data is archived by WASTAC. TIP data [High Resolution Infrared Radiation Sounder (HIRS), Microwave Sounding Unit (MSU), Stratospheric Sounding Unit (SSU) and Data Collection Platform (DCP) data components] are also archived. The Bureau collects and uses data from satellites in the World Meteorological Organization's World Weather Watch system. This satellite information enables national weather services like the Bureau to monitor day to day weather conditions and longer term climate change over the entire globe. Several different types of satellite images are available and we recommend that you read "About Satellite Images". Registered Users can get password access to specially processed images or products. This link provides a list of Satellite products including registered user products and satellite information from other sites.

These products are derived from RGB (red/green/blue) images, a satellite processing technique that uses a combination of satellite sensor bands (also called channels) and applies a red/green/blue (RGB) filter to each of them. The result is a false-color image, i.e. an image that does not correspond to what the human eye would see, but offers high contrast between different cloud types and surface features. The on-board sensor of a weather satellite obtains two basic types of information: visible light data (reflected light) reflecting off clouds and different surface types, also known as "reflectance", and infrared data (emitted radiation) which are short-wave and long-wave radiation emitted by clouds and surface features. RGBs are specially designed to combine this type of satellite data, resulting in an information-rich final product. Other products are based on the enhancement of channel data for a single wavelength, also aimed at highlighting meteorological features of the observed surface or clouds, but in a simpler way since only a single wavelength is involved. This older approach is still useful today, as its simplicity makes image interpretation easier in some cases.

The Bureau of Meteorology provides the Australian and international maritime communities with weather forecasts, warnings and observations for coastal waters areas and high seas around Australia. Generally most of these services are provided routinely throughout the day, while marine weather warnings may be issued at any time when the need becomes apparent. Because of the complex nature of the sea, the Bureau of Meteorology uses advanced computer models to predict the physical characteristics of the ocean. These computer forecasts are used by meteorologists in the preparation of marine forecasts and warnings. The forecasts include wind, weather, sea and swell and are intended to describe the average conditions over specified areas. Marine forecasts have been enhanced by the inclusion of ocean currents and sea-surface temperature forecasts through the BLUElink ocean forecasting initiative. The Numerical Weather and Oceanographic Prediction (NWOP) Products webpage provides links to datasets on sea surface winds, SST, and wave height around the coast of Australia and globally.

The Bureau of Meteorology provides the Australian and international maritime communities with weather forecasts, warnings and observations for coastal waters areas and high seas around Australia. Generally most of these services are provided routinely throughout the day, while marine weather warnings may be issued at any time when the need becomes apparent. Because of the complex nature of the sea, the Bureau of Meteorology uses advanced computer models to predict the physical characteristics of the ocean. These computer forecasts are used by meteorologists in the preparation of marine forecasts and warnings. The forecasts include wind, weather, sea and swell and are intended to describe the average conditions over specified areas. Marine forecasts have been enhanced by the inclusion of ocean currents and sea-surface temperature forecasts through the BLUElink ocean forecasting initiative. BOM Realtime Data and Formats provides links to datasets, charts or maps that give a snapshot of the weather situation in Australia at the base observation time (valid time). It includes data on satellite imagery, sea surface winds, marine boundary layer winds, SST, and wave height around Australia and globally.

Oceanic conditions are a critical factor in the earth's climate system. They directly influence fisheries and most aquaculture endeavours, while knowledge of them is essential for such diverse applications as coastal construction, maritime safety, marine pollution response and sustainable management of the marine environment. Oceanographic Services comprise some of the most recent additions to the suite of services provided by the Bureau of Meteorology. Since taking responsibility for operating the national centre for tidal expertise (the National Tidal Centre or NTC) in 2004, operational oceanographic services in the Bureau have grown rapidly. With the introduction of the routine provision of several new products from the BLUElink ocean prediction system, Oceanographic Services now encompass a substantial set of informative products which support the safer and more intelligent use of the ocean by users who undertake a wide range of activities on or near Australia's great oceanic environments. BLUElink is a multi-million dollar initiative by the Bureau, the CSIRO and the Royal Australian Navy to provide the nation with a major step forward in our ongoing understanding of the behaviour of the vast coastal and ocean areas in our neighbourhood, and for our ability to operate in those environments more safely, more effectively and for a more sustainable future. The Bureau has been providing tidal services, including predictions, tsunami services, ocean surface wave predictions, and a range of products concerning ocean temperature including sea surface temperature (SST) analyses and temperature-depth analyses, for some time. The new products from the BLUElink system now provide both analyses and daily forecasts out to 7 days, for a range of surface oceanographic variables, including SST, surface currents, surface salinity, and sea level elevation anomaly. These products support improvement to regional climate forecasts, ship routing to achieve greater fuel savings, improvement to maritime rescue and safety capabilities, and the identification of changes in coastal water temperatures, salinity and currents that directly influence reefs, aquaculture and all forms of marine life. Oceanographic Services encompasses a wide range of National and International Projects associated with the Bureau of Meteorology. These include the Australian Baseline Sea Level Monitoring Project, BLUElink Ocean Forecasting Australia, the Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS), the Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Centre (JATWC), and the South Pacific Sea Level and Climate Monitoring Project. To learn more about these projects and view their online data, click on the links below.

This dataset contains environmental observations as well as ship parameters (such as speed and direction). Enhancement of Measurements on Ships of Opportunity (SOOP)- Air Sea Flux (ASF) R.V. Aurora Australis collects underway meteorological and oceanographic observations during scientific and Antarctic resupply voyages in the oceans adjacent to Australia. Data streams are fed into the existing ship data management system, and broadcast via satellite back to Australia 30 minutes. The observations are quality controlled at the Bureau of Meteorology and air-sea fluxes calculated using the COARE Bulk Flux algorithm. A daily file of 1-minute averages of the observations are generated shortly after 0000UTC and provided to eMII. The data is contained in NetCDF format files and consists of environmental observations as well as ship parameters (such as speed and direction). Wind is observed with two different sensors, and the relative (observed) and true (relative to fixed earth) wind speed and direction provided. Air temperature and humidity is observed on the port and starboard of the main mast. Short-wave (sunlight) and long-wave (infra-red radiation or heat, from sky and clouds) is also observed on the port and starboard side. Precipitation is observed with an optical rain-gauge and traditional siphon gauge from the foremast. Instrument meta-data and QC flags are also contained in the files.

The Cape Spencer (CSP) HF ocean radar site (35.294 S, 136.879 E) is one of two HF ocean radars covering the area between Eyre Peninsula and Kangaroo Island. The other HF ocean radar station is at Cape Wiles. The HF ocean radar coverage is from the coast to beyond the edge of the continental shelf. The CSP HF ocean radar is a WERA phased array system with a 16-element receive array. This radar operates at a frequency of 8.512 MHz, with a bandwidth of 33 KHz, a maximum range of 200 Km and a range resolution of 4.5 Km. Azimuthally the radar covers a sweep 60 deg either side of a bore sight direction of 237 deg true east of north (approximately north by north-west). Within the HF radar coverage area surface current radials are measured. Data are also collected from which wind directions and significant wave height can be calculated.

The Cape Wiles (CWI) HF ocean radar site (34.943 S, 135.681 E) is one of two HF ocean radars covering the area between Eyre Peninsula and Kangaroo Island. The other HF ocean radar station is at Cape Spencer. The HF ocean radar coverage is from the coast to beyond the edge of the continental shelf. The CWI HF ocean radar is a WERA phased array system with a 16-element receive array. This radar operates at a frequency of 8.512 MHz, with a bandwidth of 33 KHz, a maximum range of 200 Km and a range resolution of 4.5 Km. Azimuthally the radar covers a sweep 60 deg either side of a bore sight direction of 190 deg true east of north (approximately south). Within the HF radar coverage area surface current radials are measured. Data are also collected from which wind directions and significant wave height can be calculated.