March 28 (UPI) -- The National Weather Service introduced a new online tool Thursday that will allow weather experts to predict weather flooding up to 10 delays in advance.
The National Water Prediction Service combines local and regional forecasts with water data and new national level capabilities, such as flood inundation maps and the National Water Model, the NWS said.
"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."
Using new hydrographs, the online tool will feature a dynamic, interactive map that will allow users to analyze water conditions anywhere in the country by observing water levels over the past 30 days, and provide river flood forecasts up to a week-and-a-half in advance.
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"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," a statement from the NWS said.
It said the new technology will be user friendly, allowing users to customize the water information to best suit their needs, allowing the general public and decision makers to be better equipped to make critical water-related decisions.
The NWS predicts real-time flood inundation maps for the entire United States should be available by October 2026.
