Panama City, FL rainwater: 54,881 gallons off a roof
Rainwater from a roof in Panama City, FL
54,881gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Panama City, FL's normal 69.1 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In Panama City, 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 Panama City 6.9 Ese station (7.3 mi away). Panama City, FL ranks 6th wettest of the 173 cities covered in Florida.
Month by month in Panama City
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5.89 | 4,681 | |
| Feb | 4.94 | 3,926 | |
| Mar | 5.09 | 4,046 | |
| Apr | 4.59 | 3,648 | |
| May | 3.63 | 2,885 | 90 |
| Jun | 5.34 | 4,244 | |
| Jul | 7.11 | 5,651 | |
| Aug | 14.66 | 11,652 | |
| Sep | 5.33 | 4,236 | |
| Oct | 3.49 | 2,774 | 107 |
| Nov | 4.25 | 3,378 | |
| Dec | 4.73 | 3,759 |
Aug is the wettest month (14.66 in, 11,652 gal off the roof); Oct the driest (3.49 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 Panama City?
Best fit: one 55-gallon barrel, which delivers about 172 gallons to the garden in a normal year (87.3% of its need).
If you buy one, a 55-gallon barrel with a downspout diverter is the whole job. Check that the overflow points away from your foundation, because most of Panama City's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 172 | 53,540 |
| 110 gal | 172 | 53,540 |
| 165 gal | 172 | 53,540 |
| 275 gal | 172 | 53,540 |
| 550 gal | 172 | 53,540 |
| 1,000 gal | 172 | 53,540 |
| 1,500 gal | 172 | 53,540 |
| 2,500 gal | 172 | 53,540 |
| 5,000 gal | 172 | 53,540 |
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