Stow, OH rainwater: 33,581 gallons off a roof
How much rain a roof in Stow, OH collects
33,581gallons a year
That is a 1,500 sq ft asphalt roof under Stow, OH's normal 42.2 inches of rain, about 795 gallons for every inch that falls.
In Stow, OH 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 Kent 1.5 W station (3.1 mi away). Stow, OH ranks 77th wettest of the 176 cities covered in Ohio.
Month by month in Stow
| Month | Rain (in) | Off the roof (gal) | Garden shortfall (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2.41 | 1,915 | |
| Feb | 2.26 | 1,796 | |
| Mar | 3.13 | 2,488 | |
| Apr | 3.90 | 3,100 | 56 |
| May | 4.37 | 3,473 | |
| Jun | 4.10 | 3,259 | 31 |
| Jul | 4.79 | 3,807 | |
| Aug | 3.73 | 2,965 | 77 |
| Sep | 4.00 | 3,179 | 44 |
| Oct | 3.65 | 2,901 | 87 |
| Nov | 3.05 | 2,424 | |
| Dec | 2.86 | 2,273 |
Jul is the wettest month (4.79 in, 3,807 gal off the roof); Feb the driest (2.26 in). Garden shortfall is what a 200 sq ft vegetable bed needs beyond the rain that lands on it, April to October.
Which tank size is worth it in Stow
Best fit: one 55-gallon barrel, which delivers about 221 gallons to the garden in a normal year (74.8% 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 Stow's roof water will pass straight through it.
| Tank | Water used (gal/yr) | Spills over (gal/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 221 | 31,980 |
| 110 gal | 221 | 31,980 |
| 165 gal | 221 | 31,980 |
| 275 gal | 221 | 31,980 |
| 550 gal | 221 | 31,980 |
| 1,000 gal | 221 | 31,980 |
| 1,500 gal | 221 | 31,980 |
| 2,500 gal | 221 | 31,980 |
| 5,000 gal | 221 | 31,980 |
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 Ohio?
Legal. Ohio regulates rainwater cisterns used as a drinking-water source as private water systems (OAC chapter 3701-28): local health department permit, continuous disinfection and filtration. No state rule restricting non-potable collection or storage size.
Checked against the current source on 2026-11-06. Source