The NORAD Tracks Santa program has been around for a long time, since 1955 to be exact! We believe that Santa Claus is alive and well in the hearts of people throughout the world.

Beginning at 3:00a.m. CST on December 24th, you can track Santa live right here at WeatherNationTV.com or on-air when you watch WeatherNation as he takes his historical journey around the world.

The Countdown Has Begun!

How Did NORAD Get Their Start Tracking Santa?

For 60 years, NORAD and its predecessor, the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) have tracked Santa’s flight.

The tradition began in 1955 after a Colorado Springs-based Sears Roebuck & Co. advertisement misprinted the telephone number for children to call Santa. Instead of reaching Santa, the phone number put kids through to the CONAD Commander-in-Chief’s operations “hotline.” The Director of Operations at the time, Colonel Harry Shoup, had his staff check the radar for indications of Santa making his way south from the North Pole. Children who called were given updates on his location, and a tradition was born.

In 1958, the governments of Canada and the United States created a bi-national air defense command for North America called the North American Aerospace Defense Command, also known as NORAD, which then took on the tradition of tracking Santa.