EFAS

EFAS, the European Flood Awareness System, is a European-scale flood forecasting and information system designed to support flood risk management across Europe. It provides early warnings, situational awareness, and decision-support information to national authorities, civil protection agencies, water managers, and EU institutions. EFAS produces probabilistic forecasts of river discharge and water levels, as well as potential flood extents, with lead times that generally reach up to about ten days.

The system integrates data from national hydrological services, meteorological ensembles, and other observations, and runs hydrological models driven by forecast precipitation to generate ensemble forecasts. Outputs include map-based flood hazard indicators, probabilistic flood risk assessments, and alert thresholds that help users assess where and when floods may occur. EFAS also supports cross-border information sharing and harmonized risk communication.

Operation and governance: EFAS is coordinated by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) in collaboration with the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), national hydrological services, and other partners. It is part of the Copernicus Programme and the Copernicus Emergency Management Service, linking flood forecasting with European disaster response activities.

Users and access: EFAS products are intended for official authorities responsible for flood risk management and civil protection. Data and forecasts are accessible through the EFAS web platform and related Copernicus services, enabling cross-border coordination and timely preparedness actions.

Limitations: Forecasts carry inherent uncertainties from input data and model limitations. EFAS is a support tool and does not replace local thresholds, on-the-ground observations, or official emergency instructions.