National Weather Service Launches New Website For Water Prediction and Products

ON 04/02/2024 AT 11 : 06 AM

NOAA’s National Weather Service on March 28 launched a new website : The National Water Prediction Service. This new hub for water data, products and services combines local and regional forecasts with water data and new national level capabilities, such as flood inundation maps and the National Water Model.
water prediction
The National Weather Service (NWS) is introducing the new National Water Prediction Service (NWPS), transforming how water resources information and services are delivered, and providing a greatly improved user experience through enhanced displays.. NOAA

"This online water hub is modern and flexible — providing information to help our partners and the public make sound decisions for water safety and management," said Ed Clark, director of NOAA’s National Water Center. “The new site leverages modern software, geospatial technology and cloud infrastructure, vastly improving the customer experience before, during and after extreme water events such as floods and droughts.”

Key features integrated into the National Water Prediction Service website

  • A new, dynamic and seamless national map with flexible options and expansive layers available to help analyze water conditions anywhere in the country.
  • Improved hydrographs that are frequently updated, depict water level observations over the past 30 days and provide river flood forecasts up to 10 days in advance. 
  • The National Water Model, which provides 24 hour coverage, seven days a week hydrologic forecast guidance along 3.4 million river miles across the U.S., including river segments, streams and creeks that have no river gauges.
  • Real-time, comprehensive Flood Inundation Maps, which are being implemented in phases, will cover nearly 100% of the U.S. by October 2026.
  • An Application Programming Interface (API) has been added to the traditional geographic information system (GIS) data, which will allow customers to flow water information into their own applications and services.

The National Water Prediction Service website provides tools that deliver actionable hydrologic information across all time scales to address the growing risk of flooding, drought and water availability, and enables partners and the American public to make smart water decisions.