In recognition of National Weather Observers Day, the South Florida Water Management District is highlighting the important weather tools we use to keep an eye on the sky.
DID YOU KNOW: The public can access many of the tools and real-time data used by our meteorologists and staff to guide important water management decisions.
WATCHING THE WEATHER: Have you ever wondered how much rain recently fell in your community? Or how weather conditions are affecting water levels in lakes, canals and waterways throughout South Florida?
You can access the current radar, historical weather data, the real-time rain gauge network and more right from the District's website.
MANAGING OUR WATER RESOUCES: The District’s team of water managers and meteorologists use these tools to closely monitor weather conditions throughout the year. When rain is scarce, the District keeps water levels stable in canals, wetlands and lakes to prevent saltwater intrusion and protect groundwater supplies. In anticipation of heavy rainfall, the District may lower water levels in canals.
EXPLORE OUR ONLINE WEATHER TOOLS: Our team use a suite of tools and technology to monitor Florida’s changing weather conditions around the clock. They include:
- Quantitative Precipitation Forecasts: These forecasts show how much rain is forecast to fall and where.
- Super Composite: An interactive map that combines radar-estimated precipitation with rain gauge data from multiple sources. It allows users to see how much rain has fallen over various timeframes.
- SFWMD Rain Gauges: Provide near real-time rainfall data from across the District, with access to up to one month of historical observations.
- Real-Time Satellite and Radar: Shows current and developing storms over the District with frequently updated radar and satellite imagery.
- Rainboard: Displays rainfall totals for all 16 areas of interest across the District, with options to view data by month, year, or longer-term averages.
LEARN MORE: We encourage you to visit SFWMD.gov/Weather to explore the District’s online weather tools, historical data and other resources.