Earth Nullschool: wind over the planet

What it is

Earth, usually searched for as earth.nullschool.net, is an animated live wind map of the entire planet. It was created by Cameron Beccario. Beyond wind, it shows ocean currents, sea surface temperature, waves, aurora, UV index, active fires and air pollution. The data comes from scientific sources such as NOAA's GFS forecast model, Copernicus services and NASA.

Why we picked it

At first it is simply beautiful: thousands of glowing lines drift across the globe, storms coil into spirals and ocean currents flow like rivers. It is the kind of thing you leave open just to look at. Give it a couple of minutes and it starts making sense too: where the cold air is coming from, where a storm is forming, why the coast is suddenly so windy.

It is also genuinely serious. The about page lists every data source and how often each layer refreshes: weather every three hours, ocean currents and sea temperature daily, aurora every thirty minutes. If you want a real-time global weather map with no clutter and no sign-up, this is one of the clearest ones around.

Where to start

• Click the word "earth" in the corner to open the menu with all the modes.
• Switch from air to ocean and look at currents and waves.
• Turn on the temperature or air quality overlay.
• Click anywhere on the map to see the values for that exact spot.
• Change the projection: a globe, a flat map, or something more unusual.

Who it's for

Weather watchers and storm trackers, surfers and sailors, map lovers, geography teachers, and anyone who wants a stunning live screensaver for a second monitor.

Quick answers

How often does the Nullschool wind map update? Weather data refreshes every three hours; ocean data updates daily.

Where does the data come from? Mainly public scientific sources, including NOAA's GFS model, Copernicus and NASA.

Do I need an account? No, the map opens right in your browser.