Proving Grounds | NESDIS | National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service
Source: https://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/our-satellites/related-information/proving-grounds
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:20
Proving Grounds | NESDIS | National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service
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Proving Grounds
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What is a Proving Ground?
An effort to improve NOAA services through optimizing the use of satellite data along with other sources of data and information. The initiatives comprise a team of developers and users working together to improve an application in a testbed environment, providing assessments of utility from the users and feedback to the developers.
End Content for this slide.
Hurricanes & Tropical Storms Initiative
Safeguarding Coastal Communities
Hurricanes can ravage coastal communities, causing billions of dollars in damage and many lives lost each year. Using weather data, meteorologists can help recommend evacuations and inform the work of first responders.
Hurricanes & Tropical Storms
Hurricanes & Tropical Storms
End Content for this slide.
Fire & Smoke Initiative
Where There's Smoke
Recent wildfires have devastated communities on America's West Coast. Globally, large fires can impact larger Earth systems like weather and climate. Satellite data can improve detection and prevention of fires, as well as map the damage they cause.
Fire & Smoke
Fire & Smoke
Fire & Smoke Initiative
Where There's Smoke
Recent wildfires have devastated communities on America's West Coast. Globally, large fires can impact larger Earth systems like weather and climate. Satellite data can improve detection and prevention of fires, as well as map the damage they cause.
Fire & Smoke
Fire & Smoke
End Content for this slide.
Soundings Applications Initiative
Sound It Out: At-Mos-Phere
Atmospheric soundings measure conditions like wind speed, temperature, and pressure. Weather balloons and ground stations can take these measurements, but soundings from space can help meteorologists better forecast local weather.
Sounding Applications
Sounding Applications
Soundings Applications Initiative
Sound It Out: At-Mos-Phere
Atmospheric soundings measure conditions like wind speed, temperature, and pressure. Weather balloons and ground stations can take these measurements, but soundings from space can help meteorologists better forecast local weather.
Sounding Applications
Sounding Applications
End Content for this slide.
Numerical Weather Prediction Impact Studies & Critical Weather Applications Initiative
Beyond the Seventh Day
Climate scientists use mathematical models based on weather satellite data to predict the near-term forecast and project those predictions far into the future. Improving these models can help meteorologists better understand climate change.
Numerical Weather Prediction
Numerical Weather Prediction
Numerical Weather Prediction Impact Studies & Critical Weather Applications Initiative
Beyond the Seventh Day
Climate scientists use mathematical models based on weather satellite data to predict the near-term forecast and project those predictions far into the future. Improving these models can help meteorologists better understand climate change.
Numerical Weather Prediction
Numerical Weather Prediction
End Content for this slide.
Aviation Weather Initiative
With You When You Fly
Accurate weather predictions greatly improve aviation safety, preventing more than just turbulence or encounters with inclement weather. Satellite data can identify areas where ice may form on a plane's fuselage, endangering passengers and pilots.
Aviation Weather Initiative
Aviation Weather Initiative
Aviation Weather Initiative
With You When You Fly
Accurate weather predictions greatly improve aviation safety, preventing more than just turbulence or encounters with inclement weather. Satellite data can identify areas where ice may form on a plane's fuselage, endangering passengers and pilots.
Aviation Weather Initiative
Aviation Weather Initiative
End Content for this slide.
Ocean & Coastal Initiative
Fathoming Our Oceans
Water covers about 71 percent of Earth. Human tampering in marine ecosystems can have disastrous effects on ocean life. Weather satellite data can help scientists understand and mitigate this damage.
Ocean & Coastal Initiative
Ocean & Coastal Initiative
Ocean & Coastal Initiative
Fathoming Our Oceans
Water covers about 71 percent of Earth. Human tampering in marine ecosystems can have disastrous effects on ocean life. Weather satellite data can help scientists understand and mitigate this damage.
Ocean & Coastal Initiative
Ocean & Coastal Initiative
End Content for this slide.
Arctic Initiative
Preserving Life, Pole to Pole
Climate change is stressing arctic communities and ecosystems. Weather satellite data can help scientists understand these changes, advancing our understanding of the arctic environment.
Arctic Initiative
Arctic Initiative
Arctic Initiative
Preserving Life, Pole to Pole
Climate change is stressing arctic communities and ecosystems. Weather satellite data can help scientists understand these changes, advancing our understanding of the arctic environment.
Arctic Initiative
Arctic Initiative
End Content for this slide.
Volcanic Hazards Initiative
Hot-spotting
Water covers about 71 percent of Earth. Human tampering in marine ecosystems can have disastrous effects on ocean life. Weather satellite data can help scientists understand and mitigate this damage.
Volcanic Hazards Initiative
Volcanic Hazards Initiative
Volcanic Hazards Initiative
Hot-spotting
Water covers about 71 percent of Earth. Human tampering in marine ecosystems can have disastrous effects on ocean life. Weather satellite data can help scientists understand and mitigate this damage.
Volcanic Hazards Initiative
Volcanic Hazards Initiative
End Content for this slide.
River Ice & Flooding Initiative
Alert! Ice Jam Ahead
When frozen rivers thaw, ice can flow downstream, obstructing the flow of water. These ice jams can result in hazardous conditions for local communities. Satellite data can give residents early warning of these events, saving lives and property.
River Ice & Flooding
River Ice & Flooding
River Ice & Flooding Initiative
Alert! Ice Jam Ahead
When frozen rivers thaw, ice can flow downstream, obstructing the flow of water. These ice jams can result in hazardous conditions for local communities. Satellite data can give residents early warning of these events, saving lives and property.
River Ice & Flooding
River Ice & Flooding
End Content for this slide.
Hydrology Initiative
Water, Water Everywhere
The science of hydrology concerns the characteristics of Earth's water systems. Development of better hydrology data products can aid the Earth sciences, leading to a better understanding of the water lifecycle.
Hydrology Initiative
Hydrology Initiative
Hydrology Initiative
Water, Water Everywhere
The science of hydrology concerns the characteristics of Earth's water systems. Development of better hydrology data products can aid the Earth sciences, leading to a better understanding of the water lifecycle.
Hydrology Initiative
Hydrology Initiative
End Content for this slide.
Training Initiative
The Data Dilemma
Weather satellites like JPSS gather extensive amounts of data, but users need proper training to best utilize these data products. By improving access to weather satellite data, NASA and NOAA can better equip users to take advantage of this resource.
Training Initiative
Training Initiative
Training Initiative
The Data Dilemma
Weather satellites like JPSS gather extensive amounts of data, but users need proper training to best utilize these data products. By improving access to weather satellite data, NASA and NOAA can better equip users to take advantage of this resource.
Training Initiative
Training Initiative
End Content for this slide.
Skip to main content
Official websites use .gov
A
.gov
website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A
lock
(
) or
https://
means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
Proving Grounds
Note to screen-readers: This page is using an IFrame for the content-area, and you screen reader may not be abel to see it on this website.
For screen-reading purposes, please go directly to the IFrame's target page by going to
https://www.youtube.com/embed/LB-y-ufiHbk?si=IWW1SVH5VDs7UyNZ?rel=1
.
What is a Proving Ground?
An effort to improve NOAA services through optimizing the use of satellite data along with other sources of data and information. The initiatives comprise a team of developers and users working together to improve an application in a testbed environment, providing assessments of utility from the users and feedback to the developers.
End Content for this slide.
Hurricanes & Tropical Storms Initiative
Safeguarding Coastal Communities
Hurricanes can ravage coastal communities, causing billions of dollars in damage and many lives lost each year. Using weather data, meteorologists can help recommend evacuations and inform the work of first responders.
Hurricanes & Tropical Storms
Hurricanes & Tropical Storms
End Content for this slide.
Fire & Smoke Initiative
Where There's Smoke
Recent wildfires have devastated communities on America's West Coast. Globally, large fires can impact larger Earth systems like weather and climate. Satellite data can improve detection and prevention of fires, as well as map the damage they cause.
Fire & Smoke
Fire & Smoke
Fire & Smoke Initiative
Where There's Smoke
Recent wildfires have devastated communities on America's West Coast. Globally, large fires can impact larger Earth systems like weather and climate. Satellite data can improve detection and prevention of fires, as well as map the damage they cause.
Fire & Smoke
Fire & Smoke
End Content for this slide.
Soundings Applications Initiative
Sound It Out: At-Mos-Phere
Atmospheric soundings measure conditions like wind speed, temperature, and pressure. Weather balloons and ground stations can take these measurements, but soundings from space can help meteorologists better forecast local weather.
Sounding Applications
Sounding Applications
Soundings Applications Initiative
Sound It Out: At-Mos-Phere
Atmospheric soundings measure conditions like wind speed, temperature, and pressure. Weather balloons and ground stations can take these measurements, but soundings from space can help meteorologists better forecast local weather.
Sounding Applications
Sounding Applications
End Content for this slide.
Numerical Weather Prediction Impact Studies & Critical Weather Applications Initiative
Beyond the Seventh Day
Climate scientists use mathematical models based on weather satellite data to predict the near-term forecast and project those predictions far into the future. Improving these models can help meteorologists better understand climate change.
Numerical Weather Prediction
Numerical Weather Prediction
Numerical Weather Prediction Impact Studies & Critical Weather Applications Initiative
Beyond the Seventh Day
Climate scientists use mathematical models based on weather satellite data to predict the near-term forecast and project those predictions far into the future. Improving these models can help meteorologists better understand climate change.
Numerical Weather Prediction
Numerical Weather Prediction
End Content for this slide.
Aviation Weather Initiative
With You When You Fly
Accurate weather predictions greatly improve aviation safety, preventing more than just turbulence or encounters with inclement weather. Satellite data can identify areas where ice may form on a plane's fuselage, endangering passengers and pilots.
Aviation Weather Initiative
Aviation Weather Initiative
Aviation Weather Initiative
With You When You Fly
Accurate weather predictions greatly improve aviation safety, preventing more than just turbulence or encounters with inclement weather. Satellite data can identify areas where ice may form on a plane's fuselage, endangering passengers and pilots.
Aviation Weather Initiative
Aviation Weather Initiative
End Content for this slide.
Ocean & Coastal Initiative
Fathoming Our Oceans
Water covers about 71 percent of Earth. Human tampering in marine ecosystems can have disastrous effects on ocean life. Weather satellite data can help scientists understand and mitigate this damage.
Ocean & Coastal Initiative
Ocean & Coastal Initiative
Ocean & Coastal Initiative
Fathoming Our Oceans
Water covers about 71 percent of Earth. Human tampering in marine ecosystems can have disastrous effects on ocean life. Weather satellite data can help scientists understand and mitigate this damage.
Ocean & Coastal Initiative
Ocean & Coastal Initiative
End Content for this slide.
Arctic Initiative
Preserving Life, Pole to Pole
Climate change is stressing arctic communities and ecosystems. Weather satellite data can help scientists understand these changes, advancing our understanding of the arctic environment.
Arctic Initiative
Arctic Initiative
Arctic Initiative
Preserving Life, Pole to Pole
Climate change is stressing arctic communities and ecosystems. Weather satellite data can help scientists understand these changes, advancing our understanding of the arctic environment.
Arctic Initiative
Arctic Initiative
End Content for this slide.
Volcanic Hazards Initiative
Hot-spotting
Water covers about 71 percent of Earth. Human tampering in marine ecosystems can have disastrous effects on ocean life. Weather satellite data can help scientists understand and mitigate this damage.
Volcanic Hazards Initiative
Volcanic Hazards Initiative
Volcanic Hazards Initiative
Hot-spotting
Water covers about 71 percent of Earth. Human tampering in marine ecosystems can have disastrous effects on ocean life. Weather satellite data can help scientists understand and mitigate this damage.
Volcanic Hazards Initiative
Volcanic Hazards Initiative
End Content for this slide.
River Ice & Flooding Initiative
Alert! Ice Jam Ahead
When frozen rivers thaw, ice can flow downstream, obstructing the flow of water. These ice jams can result in hazardous conditions for local communities. Satellite data can give residents early warning of these events, saving lives and property.
River Ice & Flooding
River Ice & Flooding
River Ice & Flooding Initiative
Alert! Ice Jam Ahead
When frozen rivers thaw, ice can flow downstream, obstructing the flow of water. These ice jams can result in hazardous conditions for local communities. Satellite data can give residents early warning of these events, saving lives and property.
River Ice & Flooding
River Ice & Flooding
End Content for this slide.
Hydrology Initiative
Water, Water Everywhere
The science of hydrology concerns the characteristics of Earth's water systems. Development of better hydrology data products can aid the Earth sciences, leading to a better understanding of the water lifecycle.
Hydrology Initiative
Hydrology Initiative
Hydrology Initiative
Water, Water Everywhere
The science of hydrology concerns the characteristics of Earth's water systems. Development of better hydrology data products can aid the Earth sciences, leading to a better understanding of the water lifecycle.
Hydrology Initiative
Hydrology Initiative
End Content for this slide.
Training Initiative
The Data Dilemma
Weather satellites like JPSS gather extensive amounts of data, but users need proper training to best utilize these data products. By improving access to weather satellite data, NASA and NOAA can better equip users to take advantage of this resource.
Training Initiative
Training Initiative
Training Initiative
The Data Dilemma
Weather satellites like JPSS gather extensive amounts of data, but users need proper training to best utilize these data products. By improving access to weather satellite data, NASA and NOAA can better equip users to take advantage of this resource.
Training Initiative
Training Initiative
End Content for this slide.