Patchogue, NY rainwater: 39,637 gallons off a roof
Rainwater from a roof in Patchogue, NY
39,637gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Patchogue, NY's normal 49.9 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In Patchogue, NY 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 Molloy Cercom station (4.7 mi away). Patchogue, NY ranks 17th wettest of the 90 cities covered in New York.
Month by month in Patchogue
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3.49 | 2,774 | |
| Feb | 4.58 | 3,640 | |
| Mar | 4.44 | 3,529 | |
| Apr | 3.82 | 3,036 | 66 |
| May | 3.50 | 2,782 | 106 |
| Jun | 3.70 | 2,941 | 81 |
| Jul | 4.65 | 3,696 | |
| Aug | 5.81 | 4,618 | |
| Sep | 4.35 | 3,457 | |
| Oct | 3.56 | 2,830 | 98 |
| Nov | 3.03 | 2,408 | |
| Dec | 4.94 | 3,926 |
Aug is the wettest month (5.81 in, 4,618 gal off the roof); Nov the driest (3.03 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 Patchogue
Best fit: one 55-gallon barrel, which delivers about 277 gallons to the garden in a normal year (78.8% 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 Patchogue's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 277 | 38,190 |
| 110 gal | 277 | 38,190 |
| 165 gal | 277 | 38,190 |
| 275 gal | 277 | 38,190 |
| 550 gal | 277 | 38,190 |
| 1,000 gal | 277 | 38,190 |
| 1,500 gal | 277 | 38,190 |
| 2,500 gal | 277 | 38,190 |
| 5,000 gal | 277 | 38,190 |
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 New York?
No statewide rainwater harvesting regulations; check county for local incentives
From the 2015 (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory report 24347); not yet re-checked against current law, so check with your state water agency before building anything large. Source