Officials offer an inside look at the NORAD Santa Claus tracker

BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WJHG/Gray News) - Deep in the heart of Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida lives a high-priority, protected mission.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) members are checking their screens and checking them twice.

The team members make sure Santa’s spot on the map is precise.

“The big man in red, he has a very important mission every year as well,” said Col. Travis Chapman with the 601 Air Operations Center.

On Tuesday, they have an extra mission tracking the big man in red.

With years of serving on the NORAD Tracks Santa program, the control center has some of the world’s leading experts on Santa.

“Santa’s sleigh, which is very fast, that sleigh is very heavy. It weighs 75,000 gumdrops,” said Master Sergeant Kenneth Myher.

There is also a level of admiration for Santa.

“We know Santa has been doing this for over 2,000 years. He is one of the best aviators we have ever seen. ... In his 2,000 years plus, he has never had an accident,” said 2nd Lt. Tyler Turnmire, a public affairs officer with the 601 AOC.

They are even counting St. Nick’s calories, hoping his suit has extra strong elastic.

“When Santa leaves the North Pole on Christmas Eve, he only weighs about 260 lbs. But all night long eating all those cookies and milk that you leave out for him, by the end of the night, Santa weighs 1,260 pounds,” said MSgt Myher.

But you still may be wondering how exactly NORAD keeps up with Santa on the big night.

“Rudolph’s red nose, that is how we are able to track him all over the globe using infrared from our satellites because his nose puts off that heat,” said MSgt Myher.

Officials with the program said it’s extra important for children to get to sleep early so as to not impede Santa’s mission.

“It’s important for them to know when Santa is getting close to know when to go to sleep and be in bed so Santa can come to our house,” said Lt. Turnmire.

With one more night before Christmas NORAD intends on ensuring that it will be the most wonderful time of the year.

Click here to track Santa yourself.

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