NOAA Logo
The NOAA logo uses 4 primary colors. Its dominant color is Fright Night (#0A4595, closest Pantone 2117 C). NOAA operates in the Government industry.
- Color family
- blue
- Industry
- Government
- Brand popularity
- Top 4% of indexed brands
- Website
- noaa.gov
Design analysis
The NOAA logo is a circular emblem badge — a contained, self-framing mark that functions like a seal or mission patch. Its construction relies on a dark navy field (#0A4595, #083381) as negative space, with a white gull silhouette bisected by a sweeping, lighter-blue wave form (#0084CD). The bird's wings touch the circle's perimeter at three points, locking the figure to the ground. No typography sits inside the ring; the wordmark lives separately in federal identity standards, letting the symbol carry recognition alone. The wave's curve echoes the bird's arc, creating a single continuous gesture that reads as atmosphere meeting ocean.
Logo colors, measured
Colors extracted from the logo image itself (background removed), with share of the mark each color covers.
Click a chip to copy its hex code.
The palette is a disciplined blue monochrome — three navy-to-mid blues plus white — which aligns with maritime and atmospheric science conventions while avoiding the red-white-blue triad common in other U.S. agency seals. The measured dominance of #0A4595 (7.2%) anchors authority and depth; #0084CD (5%) provides the only luminous contrast for the wave, ensuring the dynamic element pops at distance. White (2%) is restrained to the bird and highlight, preventing visual clutter. This cool, limited range reproduces reliably across satellite imagery, vessel hulls, and monochrome fax — a practical necessity for a global data distributor.
Variations & downloads
Color variants generated from the vector source — free to download for identification, editorial and research use.
Visually similar logos
Nearest neighbors in visual embedding space — marks that share shape and structure with the NOAA logo, regardless of color or industry.
Brand web palette
Colors NOAA uses across its website — the broader brand system around the logo.
About NOAA
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is an agency within the United States Department of Commerce. It is responsible for the monitoring and management of the United States' oceans and atmosphere. NOAA was established on October 3, 1970, as a merger of several government agencies with a history dating back to the early 19th century. Its headquarters is located in Silver Spring, Maryland, just outside of Washington, D. C. The facility is known as the NOAA Silver Spring Metro Center. The agency's primary mission is to understand and predict changes in the environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage coastal and marine resources. NOAA provides a range of products and services to fulfill this mission. NOAA operates on a global scale, with activities and partnerships across the world. It collaborates with other countries, international organizations, and scientific institutions to share data, conduct research, and address global environmental challenges. Although NOAA does not have any major subsidiaries or joint ventures, it has several important partnerships. Notably, it works closely with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to provide satellite data and information for weather forecasting, climate monitoring, and environmental research. As a government agency, NOAA does not have sales or compete in a traditional market sense. However, it is highly regarded globally for its scientific expertise, data, and services. NOAA's research and data are often used by businesses, governments, researchers, and the general public to make informed decisions about weather, climate, fisheries, coastal zones, and other environmental issues. Over the years, NOAA has achieved several milestones and made notable contributions to the field of environmental science. These include advancements in weather prediction, development of marine sanctuaries, and efforts to conserve endangered species. As of
Questions about the NOAA logo
Why does the NOAA logo use only shades of blue?
The monochrome blue palette reflects the agency's dual domain — ocean and atmosphere — while ensuring legibility on radar screens, nautical charts, and black-and-white weather facsimiles where red would disappear. Federal printing standards also favor limited spot-color palettes for cost control across thousands of field offices.
Is the bird in the logo a specific species?
The silhouette represents a generic gull — chosen for its universal association with coastal waters and open sky — rather than a taxonomically accurate species. Its stylized wing positions are engineered to intersect the circle's edge at precise intervals, giving the mark structural stability at sizes as small as 3/8 inch.
What color is the NOAA logo?
The dominant color of the NOAA logo is Fright Night (hex #0A4595). The closest Pantone match is 2117 C.
How many colors does the NOAA logo have?
The NOAA logo uses 4 primary colors: #0A4595, #0084CD, #083381, #FFFFFF.
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The NOAA logo is a trademark of its owner, shown here for identification and design research. Color data is measured from the public mark by LogoLabs; analysis is editorial commentary. No affiliation or endorsement is implied.