The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has unveiled a supercomputer-powered flood modelling tool that vastly improves the country’s forecasting capabilities.

The National Water Model provides hourly forecasts for the entire US river network, using data from more than 8000 US Geological Survey gauges to simulate conditions for 2.7 million locations.

Previously NOAA could provide stream-flow forecasts for only 4000 locations every few hours.

The new tool comes as Louisiana struggles to recover from the state’s worst floods since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

“With a changing climate, we’re experiencing more prolonged droughts and a greater frequency of record-breaking floods across the country, underscoring the need for expanded water information,” NOAA National Weather Service Director Louis Uccellini said.

“The National Water Model will improve resilience to water extremes in American communities. And as our forecasts get better, so will our planning and protection of life and property when there’s either too much water, too little, or poor water quality.”

The model will eventually provide “zoomed-in”, street-level forecasts and inundation maps to improve flood warnings, NOAA says.