Where is Santa right now? NORAD tracker mapped his 2024 Christmas flight

Santa Claus made his annual Christmas Eve journey from the North Pole to households world wide and, in step with many years of custom, the North American Aerospace Command, or NORAD, as soon as once more tracked him as he delivered presents to youngsters. NORAD used an official map that was up to date constantly to point out the place he was.

NORAD, the company chargeable for monitoring and defending airspaces over america and Canada, has tracked Santa’s whereabouts yearly since 1958. Its predecessor, the Continental Air Protection Command, dealt with the undertaking for 3 years earlier than NORAD took over.

Here is what to know because the tracker mapped out Santa’s journey. 

The place did Santa’s journey take him?

NORAD up to date its map in actual time to point out Santa’s places on his journey world wide. Santa’s progress was proven on a stay map on NORAD’s web site and updates are posted on the company’s Fb, X, Instagram and YouTube pages.

From his place to begin on the North Pole, the map exhibits Santa headed south alongside the Pacific rim after which throughout Asia, Australia, Africa and Europe. He stopped in Antarctica, and as evening fell within the Western Hemisphere, he traversed South America and the Caribbean, Greenland after which Canada and the U.S., delivering greater than 8 billion presents alongside the best way. 

NORAD stated Santa obtained again to the North Pole shortly after 5 a.m. EST.

Santa’s arrival instances

Though the NORAD tracker mirrored the place Santa was at completely different factors on his route world wide so individuals may see how far Santa was from them, the map could not predict when he would arrive at any given family. NORAD stated its intel enabled the tracker to comply with Saint Nick alongside his Christmas journey however could not anticipate his itinerary or the place he would journey subsequent as soon as he stopped at anyone location.

“Solely Santa know his route, which suggests we can’t predict the place and when he’ll arrive at your home,” NORAD writes on its web site. “We do, nonetheless, know from historical past that it seems he arrives solely when youngsters are asleep!”

In line with the consultants at NORAD, Santa usually arrives at particular person properties between 9 p.m. and midnight on Christmas Eve.

How does the Santa tracker work?

The tracker depends on radar know-how and satellites to maintain tabs on Santa, in response to NORAD, which notes these strategies are the identical ones the company employs to guard skies over North America. Its radar system, referred to as the North American Warning System, contains 47 completely different checkpoints throughout northern Canada and Alaska.

“NORAD makes some extent of checking the radar intently for indications of Santa Claus leaving the North Pole each vacation season,” its web site explains. “The second our radar tells us that Santa has lifted off, we start to make use of the identical satellites that we use in offering air warning of potential missile launches aimed toward North America.”

Updates have been additionally obtainable through cellphone from the NORAD Tracks Santa Operations Middle by calling 1-877-HI-NORAD (1-877-446-6723). As soon as Santa’s journey was accomplished, a recorded voice suggested referred to as to name again on Christmas Eve 2025.

Greater than 1,250 uniformed personnel from america and Canada volunteer on Christmas Eve to reply cellphone calls and emails that NORAD receives whereas its Santa tracker is stay. Civilians from the U.S. Division of Protection assist too — and a few years, the president and first woman have joined in to reply some calls.

The White Home stated President Biden and first woman Jill Biden “participated within the North American Aerospace Protection Command (NORAD) Santa monitoring calls with youngsters and households throughout the nation.”

What else is there to know in regards to the Santa tracker?

NORAD says Santa Claus usually begins his Christmas journey on the Worldwide Date Line, positioned within the Pacific Ocean, and proceeds to journey westward across the globe. Which means, traditionally, he begins by visiting areas within the South Pacific earlier than shifting on to New Zealand, Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, Central America and South America, in that order. 

“Take note, Santa’s route may be affected by the climate, so it is actually unpredictable,” NORAD says, including that it “coordinates with Santa’s Elf Launch Workers to verify his launch time, however from that time on, Santa calls the photographs.”