1.1. Flood summary layers

A key product of the service refers to the reporting points (that can be found under the Flood Summary layer; see the red square in the figure below) providing information (including probabilities) on the exceedance levels for different points.

The reporting points in the EFAS map viewer (left) and the corresponding colours depending on exceedance of a return period threshold (right).

→ Data access: Social Media Activity layers are publicly available. The remaining layers under this category are available in real time exclusively to the EFAS partners, and become publicly available for any date older than the embargo period.

1.2. Hydrological layers

The Hydrological layers menu provides information on return period exceedance per LISFLOOD grid cell. All four types of forecasts (two deterministic and two probabilistic) are available. The probabilistic ones are provided for two return period thresholds (5- and 20-year RP) and visualised as categorized probabilities, whereas the deterministic shows the maximum threshold exceeded for each grid cell.

The Hydrological menu with the available layers.

→ Data access: Products that are based on seasonal forecasts are accessible for the general public. The remaining layers under this category are available in real time exclusively to the EFAS partners and they become publicly available for any date older than the embargo period.

1.3. Initial condition layers

Within the EFAS-IS, one can find information of the initial hydrological and meteorological conditions which are estimated directly from either observations or the hydrological model or satellite data (see Figure 7). More information about the initial conditions can be found here.

The Initial Conditions menu with the available layers.

→ Data access: The layers under this category are publicly available.

1.4. Flash flood layers

EFAS is also providing information on flash floods. This can be found in the Flash Flood menu and particularly after selecting the ERIC reporting points layer.

The ERIC reporting points layer indicating probabilities for flash flooding.


Note that the information about flash flooding can also be presented as maps showing the affected area (see example below).

The affected area based on the ERIC values (flash flooding).

For the ERIC reporting points, the number placed near the triangle indicates the % of COSMO-LEPS members (20 in total) exceeding the 5-year return period threshold. The triangles can have different colour and size depending on the (probability of the) threshold exceedance and lead time. More information on the ERIC points is available here. Information about the scientific evaluation of the ERIC product can be found here.

→ Data access: The layers of 24-h precipitation accumulation (TAMIR and ERICHA) are open for the general public. The remaining layers under this category are available in real time exclusively to the EFAS partners and they become publicly available for any date older than the embargo period.

1.5. Static layers

The static layers menu contains mostly auxiliary layers, easing visualisation and interpretation of the information presented in the EFAS IS. For example, the LISFLOOD drainage network and the Catchments layer are presented together with the Major Rivers layer allow for a better orientation on the map.

The Static layers menu with the available layers.

→ Data access: The layers under this category are publicly available.

1.6. Evaluation layers

EFAS provides the users with information on the historical model performance presented at the catchment scale or at the station scale (points) that hydrological data are available. 

The hydrological model performance (in terms of the Kling-Gupta Efficiency) presented at the catchment scale.


The user also has access to figures generated for each gauged catchment presenting the model performance. Details can be found here, while an example is given below.

Example of hydrological model performance for a specific station. The performance is assessed using different metrics.


EFAS also provides the forecasting skill (in terms of the Continuous Ranked Probability Skill Score, CRPSS) indicating the lead time (in days) that forecasts are skillful and >0.5 (see Figure 10). More information can be found here.

The hydrological forecast skill (in terms of the CRPSS) presented at the locations that hydrological data are available.

→ Data access: The layers under this category are publicly available.

1.7. Meteorological layers

Similarly to the Hydrological layers, the Meteorological layers menu provides information on the forecasted precipitation for each single forecast (two deterministic and two probabilistic) accumulated over the whole forecast range for a specific type of forecast. Deterministic forecasts are presented as absolute values whereas the probabilistic ones are visualised with percentages.

The Meteorological menu with the available layers.

→ Data access: The layers under this category are available in real time exclusively to the EFAS partners and they become publicly available for any date older than the embargo period.

1.8. GFM Layers

The Global Flood Monitoring (GFM) layers visualise products of continuous and automated flood monitoring based on satellite imagery acquired by EU’s Copernicus Sentinel-1 satellite. More information about the GFM products can be found in the Product User Manual and in the Product Definition Document.

The GFM products that are available in the Map Viewer give information on flood extent and water bodies, uncertainties, Sentinel-1 data specifications and impact estimations.

Observed flood extent based on the Sentinel-1 images that detected flood-covered areas.


GFM- registered users can draw their own areas of interest by clicking on the second GFM icon on the right side in the Map Viewer (), which opens another sub-menu called “Global Flood Monitoring” within the Layer menu.

Clicking on “Area of interest”, users can create , erase or save their own area to look at. Furthermore, users can access their created AOI and display the AOI boundaries in the Viewer , hide the AOI boundaries in the Map Viewer , edit the AOI boundary on GMF (by redirecting the user to the GFM application), and enable/disable notifications when GFM products are newly available for the AOI ( /).

When notifications are enabled and GFM products are newly available in a specific AOI, they show up in “Product notifications”. The products can then be accessed and downloaded by clicking .
















Sub-menu "Flood Monitoring". 


 → Data access: GFM is currently available to EFAS partners only, but it is planned to become publicly available by the end of the year. 

1.9. Precipitation animations

In addition to the accumulated precipitation amounts presented under the Meteorological layers menu (see above), the precipitation amounts for the two probabilistic forecasts (COSMO and ECMWF) can be visualised as precipitation animations as well. The animation is opened in a pop-up window. 

The Precipitation animation menu.

→ Data access: The precipitation animations are available exclusively to the EFAS partners.

1.10. Map active EFAS notifications

In the example below, one can select the Enable/disable notifications on map in order to see the notifications (formal, informal, flash flood) that are ongoing on the selected date.

Highlighting the flood notifications.

→ Data access: This feature is available exclusively to the EFAS partners.

1.11. Map feedback

Similar to the notifications, even the feedback that was provided for a certain notification can be visualized on the map. Note that you will have to navigate to the date the notification has been issued. Clicking on the star in the map, a small pop-up window shows the score for the notification and some additional information. 

Information shown when feedback markers are enabled.

This is a map visualisation of the feedback that has been provided through the EFAS partners. One can also look at the feedback in a list or calendar view (compare section 5.3.1). 

→ Data access: This feature is available exclusively to the EFAS partners.

1.12. Map/report missed event

As for the feedback provided, the reported missed events can be visualised in the Map Viewer as well. Please note that also in this case the user needs to navigate to the date when the missed event was reported. 

Information shown when missed event markers are enabled.

To report a missed event, the user can click on the drop symbol to the upper right (). Further information on the reporting of missed events can be found in section 4.4.2.

→ Data access: This feature is available exclusively to the EFAS partners.