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.

web cam image web cam image web cam image
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

web cam image Drift map  

More info:

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:

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.

NSF 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. Polar Science Center