NOAA’s National Weather Service announced today that Flood Inundation Mapping (FIM), a revolutionary tool for predicting river flooding, is now available on an experimental basis to nearly 100% of the U.S. population. This is a massive expansion from FIM’s prior coverage of 60% of the country.

FIM produces estimates of land area covered in water based on model forecast river flows and current conditions that predict where flooding impacts may occur in the following days. It’s a tool for forecasters, emergency managers and the public that alerts users to the latest river and stream flooding conditions.

“Inundation maps are a critical tool for assessing the impacts of flooding,” said NOAA Administrator Neil Jacobs, Ph.D. “NOAA prioritized expanding FIM to ensure that nearly every American can access detailed information beyond the expected river crest height.…