Melbourne, FL rainwater: 43,937 gallons off a roof
Rainwater from a roof in Melbourne, FL
43,937gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Melbourne, FL's normal 55.3 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In Melbourne, FL a single barrel does most of the work. Storms come often enough that a small tank refills before it runs dry, and a bigger one would mostly sit full.
Rainfall: NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, the Melbourne Wfo station (0.6 mi away). Melbourne, FL ranks 96th wettest of the 173 cities covered in Florida.
Month by month in Melbourne
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2.77 | 2,202 | |
| Feb | 2.28 | 1,812 | |
| Mar | 2.93 | 2,329 | |
| Apr | 2.53 | 2,011 | 227 |
| May | 3.82 | 3,036 | 66 |
| Jun | 7.52 | 5,977 | |
| Jul | 6.81 | 5,413 | |
| Aug | 7.49 | 5,953 | |
| Sep | 8.55 | 6,796 | |
| Oct | 5.28 | 4,197 | |
| Nov | 2.57 | 2,043 | |
| Dec | 2.73 | 2,170 |
Sep is the wettest month (8.55 in, 6,796 gal off the roof); Feb the driest (2.28 in). Garden shortfall is what a 200 sq ft vegetable bed needs beyond the rain that lands on it, April to October.
What size rain barrel for Melbourne
Best fit: one 55-gallon barrel, which delivers about 250 gallons to the garden in a normal year (85.3% of its need).
If you set one up, a 55-gallon barrel with a downspout diverter is the whole job. Check that the overflow points away from your foundation, because most of Melbourne's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 250 | 42,502 |
| 110 gal | 250 | 42,502 |
| 165 gal | 250 | 42,502 |
| 275 gal | 250 | 42,502 |
| 550 gal | 250 | 42,502 |
| 1,000 gal | 250 | 42,502 |
| 1,500 gal | 250 | 42,502 |
| 2,500 gal | 250 | 42,502 |
| 5,000 gal | 250 | 42,502 |
Simulated storm by storm through a normal year using the station's count of days with 0.1 in or more of rain each month.
Is rainwater collection legal in Florida?
Legal. Florida approves onsite non-potable use of rainwater for landscape irrigation, vehicle washing, filling pools and fountains and, in some local jurisdictions, toilet/urinal flushing (Florida Plumbing Code). No state storage cap or registration for non-potable collection.
Checked against the current source on 2026-11-06. Source