Microproduct Data GuideIntermediate

Copernicus Global Flood Monitoring Layers

Satellite observed flood extent, likelihood, and advisory-flag rasters for corroborating possible flood events.

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At a Glance

Difficulty
Intermediate — some data preparation helps
Size
Tiny · ≤0.01 GB
Formats
GeoTIFF
Access
API
API Key
Not Required
Provider
Copernicus Emergency Management Service
Updates
Near Real Time
Last Verified
Sep 28, 2026
Source Type
Intergovernmental Source
Data Terms
CEMS early-warning data permit reproduction, distribution, and adaptation with source and modification notices; some restricted products require registration.
  • Python Syntax Checked

From Source to Product Signal

Test a Product Idea in Four Steps

GFM serves observed_flood_extent, uncertainty_values, and advisory_flags as related WMS raster layers. Start with a small observed-extent tile; satellite coverage and uncertainty must be checked before inferring flooding.

1

Check the Setup

  • Python 3.10 or newer
  • An internet connection
  • The requests Python package
2

Access the Data

  1. 1.Review the GFM product, layer definitions, and CEMS reuse conditions.
  2. 2.Request a bounded observed_flood_extent GeoTIFF from the public WMS.
  3. 3.Check matching uncertainty_values and advisory_flags before interpreting pixels.
Open Official Source
3

Run the Python Example

Install the packages, then run the notebook cell.

python -m pip install requests

from datetime import datetime, timezone
import requests

valid_day = datetime.now(timezone.utc).strftime("%Y-%m-%dT00:00:00.000Z")
response = requests.get(
    "https://geoserver.gfm.eodc.eu/geoserver/gfm/wms",
    params={"SERVICE": "WMS", "VERSION": "1.1.1", "REQUEST": "GetMap",
            "LAYERS": "observed_flood_extent", "STYLES": "", "SRS": "EPSG:4326",
            "BBOX": "5,45,5.1,45.1", "WIDTH": 32, "HEIGHT": 32,
            "FORMAT": "image/geotiff", "TIME": valid_day}, timeout=20,
)
response.raise_for_status()
assert response.content[:4] in (b"II*\x00", b"MM\x00*"), "Expected GeoTIFF"
print(valid_day, "GFM extent bytes:", len(response.content))
4

Test a Useful Signal

Inspect a Flood-Extent Tile

Display a dated, bounded GFM tile with its uncertainty caveat.

  1. 01Fetch one observed_flood_extent tile.
  2. 02Record its bounds and valid date with the matching quality-layer names.
  3. 03Explain that absent satellite pixels are not an all-clear.

Related Datasets

Dataset Details

Copernicus Emergency Management Service is an intergovernmental source. Last verified 2026-09-28. Temporal coverage: recent Sentinel-1 flood-monitoring layers.

Data Types

Raster

Geography

Global

Formats

GeoTIFF

Provider

Copernicus Emergency Management Service

Data Terms

CEMS early-warning data permit reproduction, distribution, and adaptation with source and modification notices; some restricted products require registration.

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