Live Global Temperature Map
An interactive map of current air temperatures across the entire planet, refreshed every six hours from NOAA's global forecast model. Pan and zoom anywhere on the map above, and hover over any point to read the exact temperature.
What this map shows
The colored overlay is the 2‑metre air temperature — the standard "shade temperature" measured about two metres above the ground — for the whole world. Colours run from deep blue at roughly −40 °C through greens and yellows near freezing to deep red at 50 °C and above, matching the scale in the legend. Because it is a single global field, you can compare a heatwave in one hemisphere with a cold snap in the other at a glance.
Where the data comes from
Temperatures are taken from the NOAA Global Forecast System (GFS), a numerical weather model run four times a day by the US National Weather Service. Each model cycle publishes a fresh global temperature grid, which this map ingests and re-renders. The timestamp bar at the top of the map shows exactly which GFS cycle you are looking at and how many hours old it is — typically just a few hours behind real time.
How to use it
- Hover anywhere over land or sea to see the precise temperature in °C at that point.
- Zoom and pan to focus on a country, continent or ocean.
- Read the legend (top‑left) to map colours to temperature bands.
- Check the timestamp (top‑centre) to see how current the data is.
Why a global temperature map is useful
A single world view of current temperatures is handy for travel planning, following extreme‑weather events, teaching geography and climate, and giving developers a live dataset to build against. Because it updates continuously, it doubles as a near‑real‑time picture of global weather patterns — the jet stream's cold intrusions, tropical warmth, and polar extremes all show up clearly.
Built on the LatLng maps platform
This demo is rendered entirely on LatLng vector basemap tiles, with the temperature layer served as raster tiles generated from the raw GFS grid. You can build the same kind of live data map — weather, logistics, sensors, anything with coordinates — using the LatLng Maps API and Dataset Tiles API on a free tier.
Frequently asked questions
How often is the temperature map updated?
The underlying NOAA GFS model runs four times daily (roughly every six hours). The map refreshes to the latest available cycle, which is usually only a few hours behind the current time.
What temperature does it show?
The 2‑metre air temperature — the near‑surface "shade" temperature — in degrees Celsius. It is a model analysis/forecast, not a station reading, so local values can differ slightly from a nearby weather station.
Does it cover the whole world?
Yes. GFS is a global model, so every land and ocean area is covered, including remote regions with no weather stations.
Can I get the temperature at a specific coordinate?
Hover over any point on the map to read its temperature. The value is looked up from the same grid that draws the colour overlay.