When extreme weather strikes, the preparations of emergency planners can have life-or-death consequences. In July 2025, central Texas flooded with disastrous consequences, killing more than 130 people. The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provides a publicly available computer model of the complicated waterways of the United States that includes historical and forecasted flooding data for the entire country. Unfortunately, many non-technical users have found the model difficult to use. A new tool spearheaded by Northeastern University, working alongside NOAA and a consortium of other collaborators, interfaces with the National Water Model (NWM) to make its data comprehensible to non-technical community members involved in flood and emergency preparedness.
New data tool boosts preparedness for potentially deadly flooding
