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NOAA expands flood mapping tool coverage to the entire US
NOAA says the experimental Flood Inundation Mapping tool now covers nearly 100% of the country and estimates flooding impacts at neighborhood scale based on forecast river flows and current conditions.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Weather Service said its experimental Flood Inundation Mapping, or FIM, tool has expanded from prior coverage of 60% of the United States to 100%. Insurance Journal reports that the tool estimates land area covered in water by using model forecast river flows and current conditions to identify where flooding impacts may occur over the following days.
NOAA said FIM can help forecasters and emergency managers alert the public on current river and stream flooding conditions. According to the National Weather Service, inundation maps produced through FIM are intended to support assessment of flooding impacts and provide more detailed information beyond expected river crest height.
The NWS said FIM maps river and stream flooding at neighborhood scale, highlighting flooding potential along 3.3 million river miles across the continental U.S., U.S. territories, and Hawaii. NOAA added that new coverage areas include parts of the southeastern U.S. coast and Florida, the Great Lakes region, New England, the Rocky Mountains, the Dakotas, and western Nebraska.