Ocala, FL rainwater: 41,465 gallons off a roof
How much rain a roof in Ocala, FL collects
41,465gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Ocala, FL's normal 52.2 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In Ocala, 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 Ocala 1.1 Se station (2.1 mi away). Ocala, FL ranks 143rd wettest of the 173 cities covered in Florida.
Month by month in Ocala
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2.86 | 2,273 | |
| Feb | 2.93 | 2,329 | |
| Mar | 3.50 | 2,782 | |
| Apr | 2.44 | 1,939 | 238 |
| May | 3.69 | 2,933 | 82 |
| Jun | 7.82 | 6,215 | |
| Jul | 7.64 | 6,072 | |
| Aug | 7.95 | 6,319 | |
| Sep | 5.56 | 4,419 | |
| Oct | 3.16 | 2,512 | 148 |
| Nov | 1.99 | 1,582 | |
| Dec | 2.63 | 2,090 |
Aug is the wettest month (7.95 in, 6,319 gal off the roof); Nov the driest (1.99 in). Garden shortfall is what a 200 sq ft vegetable bed needs beyond the rain that lands on it, April to October.
Barrel or cistern in Ocala?
Best fit: one 55-gallon barrel, which delivers about 399 gallons to the garden in a normal year (85.1% 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 Ocala's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 399 | 39,866 |
| 110 gal | 400 | 39,865 |
| 165 gal | 400 | 39,865 |
| 275 gal | 400 | 39,865 |
| 550 gal | 400 | 39,865 |
| 1,000 gal | 400 | 39,865 |
| 1,500 gal | 400 | 39,865 |
| 2,500 gal | 400 | 39,865 |
| 5,000 gal | 400 | 39,865 |
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