Web Camera Observation Network

Web cameras are a low cost coastal observing platform transforming how environmental monitoring is conducted. Web camera data has demonstrated value to address significant gaps in the nation's ability to monitor and accurately forecast various weather, ocean, ecological and public health hazards. This project, Webcam Coastal Observation System (WebCOOS), promotes low cost webcams to:

identify rip currents
identify rip currents
study beach erosion
study beach erosion
monitor beach usage
monitor beach usage
flood monitoring
flood monitoring
Camera installation at Folly Beach Pier, photo credit Jeremy Cothran

Cameras

News

Enhanced photo still from the web camera located at South Carolina Maritime Museum. Image taken on 1/24/2023 at 7:19 AM ET.
January 30, 2023
Strength in Numbers: The Power of Joining Forces

Over six partners have joined forces to install a web camera, water level sensor, and an air quality monitor at the South Carolina Maritime Museum located on the banks of the Sampit River in Georgetown, SC.

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A video clip of northern elephant seals from the Point Reyes National Seashore webcam taken on November 30, 2022 at 1:24 PM PST. Video playback speed is doubled.
January 18, 2023
Camera Footage of Marine Mammal Releases Available to View on WebCOOS

The public can now watch marine mammal releases by The Marine Mammal Center in Point Reyes National Seashore thanks to a new partnership with WebCOOS.

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A short time lapse created from WebCOOS camera on Oak Island, NC where you can see significant erosion of the recently planted dune during Hurricane Ian.
September 27, 2022
Eyes on Ian: Data Resources

The WebCOOS website was shared as Hurricane Ian was approaching. This new observing system allows users to stream live camera feeds in real-time in some locations, and see snapshot images in other locations.

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NOAA Launches a New Life-Saving Rip Current Model
April 27, 2021
NOAA Launches a New Life-Saving Rip Current Model

NOAA released a new operational rip current model that will improve beach safety through sophisticated rip current forecasts. NOAA plans to validate the model using shoreline footage from SECOORA's Webcam Coastal Observation System (WebCOOS) network.

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SECOORA Develops New Observing Network with Low-Cost Webcams
August 32, 2020
SECOORA Develops New Observing Network with Low-Cost Webcams

SECOORA was awarded a $1.1 million grant to launch a sustained network of low-cost webcams throughout the Southeast, which will build off of the successful pilot project, the Web Camera Applications Testbed.

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New Open Source Tool to Remotely Calibrate Web Camera Data
March 30, 2020
New Open Source Tool to Remotely Calibrate Web Camera Data

SECOORA's 2019 Data Challenge Winner, Matthew Conlin, a PhD student at the University of Florida, has developed an easy tool to remotely calibrate web camera images for use in measuring changes in coastal and nearshore environments.

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