Arctic Zone: North Pole Web Cam

Live from the North Pole!

Web cam deployment was taken over by the University of Washington Applied Physics Laboratory (APL).

The 2015 North Pole web cams were deployed in mid-April 2015 by the University of Washington and images are available from the North Pole Environmental Observatory website for Web Cams 1 and 2. See links to animations below each web cam image below. The last clear image was received from Web Cam 1 on September 28, 2015, and from Web Cam 2 on September 16, 2015.


*Melt ponds and a rainbow after a shower captured by web cam 1 on July 5, 2015*	Click for SMALL or LARGE animation of 2015 web cam 1 NOTE Animal tracks (probably left by visiting Polar Bear)	*Sunset captured by web cam 1 on September 16, 2015*

More info:

Arctic videos & North Pole web cam videos
North Pole web cam Images
Summer sea ice transition 2002-present - spring thaw, summer melt ponds, autumn freeze-up
Arctic Report Card - updated annually in December

Click for
SMALL or LARGE animation of 2015 web cam 2

2015 drift track map. Click for LARGE image.

Web Cams from 2012 to present

2022 Webcam animations from UW/APL	APL Sidekick 1	front cam	front and back cams	back cam
2021 Webcam animations from UW/APL	APL Sidekick 2	front cam	front and back cams	back cam

2015 info	Web Cam 1 & 2 images from NPEO	Drift Track from NPEO	Webcam animations: small 1, 2 \| large 1, 2 \| YouTube
2014 info	Web Cam 1 & 2 images from NPEO	Drift Track from NPEO	Webcam animations: small 1, 2 \| large 1, 2 \| YouTube
2013 info	Web Cam 1 & 2 images from NPEO	Drift Track from NPEO	Webcam animations: small 1, 2 \| large 1, 2 \| YouTube
2012 info	Web Cam 1 & 2 images from NPEO	Drift Track from NPEO	Webcam animations: small 1, 2 \| large 1, 2 \| YouTube

Web Cams from 2002-2011

• All images	2011	2010	2009	2008	2007	2006	2005	2004	2003	2002
• Moods of the North Pole	2011	2010	2009	2008	2007	2006	2005	2004	2003	2002
• About the environment									2003	2002
• About the instruments	2011	2010		2008				2004	2003	2002
• About the web cam(s)	2011	2010	2009	2008	2007	2006	2005		2003	2002
• Weather data	2011	2010	2009	2008	2007	2006	2005	2004	2003	2002

Animations of Web Cam images:

[Firefox users: Right-click on link then choose Save Link As to download .mov files and view on your device]

2015 animations from web cams | small 1, 2 | large 1, 2 (.avi) | YouTube
2014 animations from web cams | small 1, 2 | large 1, 2
2013 animations from web cams | small 1, 2 | large 1, 2 | YouTube
2012 animations from web cams | small 1, 2 | large 1, 2 | YouTube
2011 animations from web cams | small 1, 2 | large 1, 2 | animations from USCG Healy Track1, Track2
2010 animations from web cams | small 1, 2 | large 1, 2
2009 animations from web cam | small 1 | large 1 | YouTube
2008 animations from web cams | small: 1, 2, 3, 4 | large: 1, 2, 3, 4 | YouTube
2007 animations from web cams 1, 2 | YouTube | animations from the R/V Polarstern 3, 3 large, 4, 4 large
2006 animations from web cams | small 1, 3 | large 1, 3
2005 animations from web cam 8
2004 animations from web cams | small 1, 2 | large 1, 2
2003 animations from web cams | small 1, 2 | large 1
2002 animations from web cam 1 | YouTube

To ensure animations play within a player (e.g. QuickTime) rather than the browser, right-click the animation link and download the .mov file to your computer. Double-click the .mov file to start the animation.

More Information:

About the North Pole environment snow and weather conditions
North Pole Weather Data and Instrumentation
Daylight, Darkness and Changing of the Seasons at the North Pole
What are you seeing in the images from the North Pole?
Spring thaw, summer melt ponds, autumn freeze-up - summer sea ice transition, 2002-present
Sea ice extent in September (at the end of the summer melt season) from 2002 to present

NOAA/PMEL's North Pole web cam deployments began in April 2002. The web cams operate during the Summer warmth and daylight (April - October) and are redeployed each Spring. The images from the cameras track the North Pole snow cover, weather conditions and the status of PMEL's North Pole instrumentation, which includes meteorological and ice sensors (seen in the camera images). The instruments typically continue to transmit data for months after the solar-powered web cams stop. The PMEL North Pole Web Cam team includes Bill Parker, Sigrid Salo, Tracey Nakamura, Nancy Soreide and Jim Overland.

Web Camera provided by Star Dot Technologies with technical support by Vance Kozik. System design by Oceantronics. Camera images are relayed via the Iridium satellite system. Images by NOAA/PMEL. If you wish to use these photographs, please contact oar.pmel.arctic.webmaster@noaa.gov.

In 2012, the North Pole Web Cams were deployed by the University of Washington and images made available from the North Pole Environmental Observatory website.

The North Pole Web Cam is part of the North Pole Environmental Observatory, a joint National Science Foundation-sponsored effort by the Polar Science Center, / APL / UW, the Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory / NOAA, the Japan Marine Science and Technology Center, Oregon State University, Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.