Tours
Please Note: All tours require a reservation, due to scheduling and security issues. Please understand that if you visit us without a reservation, we will have to ask you to come back at another time. Thank you!
GENERAL (8 max)
Tours of the NWC for the general public will be offered on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 1 p.m. Each tour will last approximately 45 minutes. The Public tour is a comprehensive overview of the NWC and the units housed within. The Public tour includes visits to the School of Meteorology, the NWC observation deck, classroom and laboratory facilities, as well as NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center, the Norman National Weather Service Forecast Office, and the National Severe Storms Laboratory. If you have more than 8 people in your group, please schedule a Group tour. If you have special needs, please note those needs when you make reservations. For General tours, please Schedule a Tour, e-mail or call (405) 325-1147.
GROUP (35 max)
Tours of the NWC will be offered for groups on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. and will last 1 to 1.5 hours. The Group tour is similar to the Public tour, but allows for extra question and answer time. A complete list of names for your group must be submitted prior to the tour. For Group tours, please Schedule a Tour, e-mail or call (405) 325-1147.
SCHOOL (35 max)
School tours are available for 3rd grade and above. Tours for school groups are scheduled at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. only on Tuesdays and Thursdays. School tours last about 1.5 hours and consist of a presentation and video about the science conducted at the National Severe Storms Lab along with a visit to the NOAA Storm Prediction Center and Norman National Weather Service Forecast Office. Classes focusing on science are preferred. A list of names of all attending the tour is required in advance. Groups are encouraged to schedule tours at least two weeks in advance as these dates fill up quickly. To schedule a school tour, please contact Daphne Thompson at or by phone at (405) 325-6892.
SPECIALTY (35 max)
If you are interested in a more detailed tour focused on a specific unit or subset of units in the NWC building, please Schedule a Tour, e-mail or call (405) 325-1147.
NOAA Weather Partners (National Severe Storms Laboratory, Norman National Weather Service Forecast Office, Storm Prediction Center, Warning Decision Training Branch and/or the Radar Operations Center)
University of Oklahoma units (School of Meteorology, Center for the Analysis and Prediction of Storms, Cooperative Institute for Mesoscale Meteorological Studies, Oklahoma Climatological Survey, Center for Natural Hazards and Disaster Research, or the Center for Spatial Analysis)
Groups are encouraged to schedule tours at least two weeks in advance. The NWC Security Policy requires that foreign nationals arrange tours at least two week in advance and provide passport information.
Tours may not be available on federal holidays, school holidays, and on occasion due to scheduled events. Tours are immediately suspended when the Homeland Security Threat Advisory is High or Severe.