It's a Christmas Eve tradition that has delighted parents and children across the United States for 70 years: tracking Santa Claus as he circles the globe with the help of the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD. Follow the map update below as NORAD once again. tracks Santajourney from the North Pole to deliver gifts to children around the world.
Where is Santa now?
NORAD updates its map in real time to show Santa's location as he travels around the world. The journey begins at the North Pole, and NORAD uses its expertise in satellite technology to track Santa's sleigh as it glides across the sky.
In addition to the live map on NORAD websiteupdates are published on the agency's website. Facebook, X, Instagram And YouTube pages.
Santa's route began by taking him along the International Date Line in the Pacific. From there it moves west, with its first stops in the South Pacific, New Zealand and Australia. It zigzagged through China and Russia, then headed to Africa and Europe, and then across the Atlantic Ocean to Canada, the United States, Mexico, and Central and South America.
NORAD notes that its path can sometimes be unpredictable.
When will Santa be at your house?
NORAD experts say Santa typically stops between 9:00 pm and midnight on Christmas Eve, but the tracker can't predict the specific time he'll stop at a particular home.
“Only Santa knows his route, which means we can’t predict where or when he’ll arrive at your home,” NORAD. writes on your website. “However, we know from history that he only seems to come when the children are sleeping!”
What is NORAD?
NORAD, short for North American Aerospace Defense Command, is a binational organization consisting of the United States and Canada. Its headquarters is at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs, and its year-round mission is to protect North America “through aerospace warning, aerospace control and maritime warning.”
NORAD's technology includes the Northern Warning System, a powerful radar system with 49 installations in Alaska and northern Canada. NORAD also relies on satellites located 22,300 miles above Earth with infrared sensors to detect heat, and also operates fighter jets to patrol and protect its territory.
“Twenty-four-seven days a year, 365 days a year, we monitor the skies of North America for any air threats,” US Air Force Col. Jason White. told CBS News.
On Christmas Eve, this experience is used for more festive purposes.
How does the Santa tracker work?
Early on the morning of December 24, NORAD begins tracking Santa's journey from the North Pole and mapping his journey as he delivers gifts to children around the world. The NORAD Tracks Santa Operations Center is staffed by military personnel and civilian volunteers who answer phone calls and provide updates on Santa's whereabouts.
You can call 1-877-HI-NORAD (1-877 446-6723) to receive updates from one of our call center agents over the phone. Operators are available from 4 a.m. Mountain Time (6 a.m. ET) to midnight Eastern Time (2 a.m. ET).
“They logged 380,000 calls on Christmas Eve,” White said.
You can also check out NORAD websitewhere updates are available in nine languages: English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Chinese and Korean.
What else do you need to know about the Santa tracker?
NORAD has been tracking Santa's Christmas Eve flights since its inception in 1958. Its predecessor, the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD), had carried out the same annual tracking duties for three years prior.
The tradition began in 1955 when a child accidentally called CONAD's operations center after seeing a newspaper advertisement urging readers to call Santa.
“The person who answered this phone call did not want to disappoint the child on the other end of the line and simply agreed. And since then it has grown into an annual, recurring Santa Tracking operation, White said.
NORAD says the program is made possible by volunteers and is supported by funding from corporate sponsors.
