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Gutters · Pahokee

Gutters in Pahokee, FL

A 5-minute downpour in a 10-year storm falls at 9.47 inches an hour in Pahokee, according to NOAA Atlas 14 rainfall figures for this town. That rate is what sizes your gutters and downspouts. A gutter that drains fine on a light afternoon can overflow in a short, hard burst. Pahokee sits on the southeastern shore of Lake Okeechobee, and that location shapes how the rain reaches a roof and where the water has to go.

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Updated October 2026

Aerial view of a white water tower labeled Pahokee above a small town street grid and palm trees.
Drone view of a single-story home with a brown-gray shingle roof and box vents under large oak trees, a metal carport roof in the corner and a street behind.Our work
Photo: Pahokee Water Tower by Yanjipy, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped

Pahokee figures this page uses

People (2020 Census)
5,524
Population estimate (ACS 5-year)
5,609
Housing units (ACS 5-year)
1,782
Median year homes were built
1970

Sizing for local rain

Sizing gutters for Pahokee's short, hard bursts

Plumbing code sizes gutters from the rate of water coming off the roof, not from average rainfall. The rate that matters here is the short, intense burst. Pahokee's 5-minute, 10-year rate of 9.47 inches an hour is far higher than the 1-hour, 10-year rate of 2.82 inches an hour, so the short burst governs the design.

Close-up of a fine stainless micro-mesh gutter guard over a white gutter at a shingle roof edge, with oak leaves, catkins and raindrops resting on top (illustration)Illustration

Illustration: micro mesh guard

Rain totals show the other side of the problem. A 10-year storm here drops 6.46 inches over a full day, and a 100-year storm drops 10.8 inches. Gutters that carry the burst can still back up when a long storm keeps the leaders full, so the downspout size matters as much as the gutter. By our arithmetic, the 100-year day total is about 1.7 times the 10-year day total.

  • Gutter width and slope set how much flow a run can carry.
  • Downspouts must carry the water the gutter delivers to them.
  • Roof area and any wall that sheds rain onto the roof add to the load.

Code and where water goes

Downspout discharge rules that apply to your lot

Pahokee homes with eaves under 6 inches need gutters with downspouts, except at gable end rakes or where a roof sits above another roof. Where the discharge lands matters on a flat farm-region lot, because the water has to leave the foundation area rather than pool beside it.

On a lot in Pahokee, check where the water lands after a heavy storm. A splash block that sends water back toward the foundation does not meet the intent of the rule, even if the downspout looks correct. Confirm the specifics with the City of Pahokee building office before you change a discharge route.

Keeping gutters clear

Leaves, trees and cleaning in Pahokee

Southern live oaks, which are common in this kind of setting, are semi-evergreen and drop a steady litter of leaves and fruit. Clogged gutters are the most common cause of overflow on a roof that otherwise sizes correctly. Clean them twice a year at minimum, and more often under heavy canopy.

Florida pollen runs from January to June, with peaks in March and April, and oaks are among the major producers. Needle fall from pines peaks in autumn, so a late-autumn cleaning clears what the trees drop before the wet season ends. Schedule a cleaning after the spring pollen and after that autumn drop, before the June to September rain season that brings most of Palm Beach County's rain.

Rain on your roof

Preset: 6.46 inches, the 10-year 24-hour rain (NOAA Atlas 14 at Pahokee).

8,049 gallons run off that roof, all of it toward the gutters and downspouts.

Math: square feet × inches × 0.623 gallons.

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Questions

Gutters in Pahokee: questions

How hard does it rain in Pahokee?

A 5-minute rain in a 10-year storm falls at 9.47 inches an hour in Pahokee, according to NOAA Atlas 14. A 1-hour rain in the same storm falls at 2.82 inches an hour, and a 24-hour storm drops 6.46 inches. Those short-burst numbers are the ones gutter sizing depends on, so a system that handles average rain can still overflow here.

Source: NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 9 version 2, partial-duration intensity estimates at the Pahokee 2020 Census internal point (26.8202, -80.6620), read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Gutters

Do Pahokee homes need gutters and downspouts?

Florida's residential code requires gutters with downspouts on homes whose eaves project less than 6 inches, except at gable end rakes or where one roof sits above another. Keep the downspout outlets a minimum of 1 foot from the sidewall. Confirm your home's details with the City of Pahokee building office.

Source: 2023 Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th ed., R318.5 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription); FBC-Building 1503.7, read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Gutters

Where should downspouts send water in Pahokee?

Downspouts must discharge at least 1 foot from the building sidewall, using underground piping, a tail extension or a splash block. Check after a heavy rain where the water actually runs. If it returns to the foundation, change the route. Confirm the details with the City of Pahokee building office.

Source: 2023 Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th ed., Chapter 8 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription), read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Gutters

How often should I clean gutters with oaks near my Pahokee home?

Clean gutters at least twice a year, usually in spring and fall, and more often under heavy tree cover. Southern live oaks drop leaves and fruit as litter, and Florida pollen peaks in March and April. Schedule a cleaning after spring pollen and after the autumn pine needle drop. Palm Beach County's wettest stretch runs May through October, with 67.3% of its normal annual rain falling then.

Source: ask.ifas.ufl.edu, read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Gutters

Nearby

Gutters near Pahokee

Sources for this page(32)
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  2. 2.Wikipedia, 'Pahokee, Florida' (revision 1369943883). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  3. 3.Permit office: City of Pahokee - Building, Planning & Zoning. City of Pahokee - Building, Planning & Zoning. Read Oct 10, 2026.
  4. 4.NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (access data service). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  5. 5.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25035, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  6. 6.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25024, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  7. 7.Hurricane Matthew (2016). NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Matthew (AL142016). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  8. 8.2023 Florida Building Code, Plumbing, 8th ed., Chapter 11 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026. FBC text read from UpCodes (unofficial transcription): check floridabuilding.org or the ICC viewer before quoting (spec 8.7). Source URL inherited from COM-20 (the research cites it "as COM-20").
  9. 9.bergerbp.com. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  10. 10.2023 Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th ed., R318.5 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription); FBC-Building 1503.7. Read Oct 5, 2026. FBC text read from UpCodes (unofficial transcription): check floridabuilding.org or the ICC viewer before quoting (spec 8.7).
  11. 11.2023 Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th ed., Chapter 3 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026. FBC text read from UpCodes (unofficial transcription): check floridabuilding.org or the ICC viewer before quoting (spec 8.7).
  12. 12.2023 Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th ed., Chapter 8 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026. FBC text read from UpCodes (unofficial transcription): check floridabuilding.org or the ICC viewer before quoting (spec 8.7). Source URL inherited from NC-2 (the research cites it "as NC-2").
  13. 13.ask.ifas.ufl.edu. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  14. 14.thig.com. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  15. 15.blogs.ifas.ufl.edu. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  16. 16.ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  17. 17.NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 9 version 2, partial-duration intensity estimates at the Pahokee 2020 Census internal point (26.8202, -80.6620), NOAA Hydrometeorological Design Studies Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  18. 18.NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 9 version 2, partial-duration 24-hour depth estimates at the Pahokee 2020 Census internal point (26.8202, -80.6620), NOAA Hydrometeorological Design Studies Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  19. 19.City of Pahokee - Building, Planning & Zoning, cityofpahokee.com. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  20. 20.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Matthew (AL142016), NOAA National Hurricane Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  21. 21.Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, inspections FAQ (updated 2026-03-17), Citizens Property Insurance. Read Oct 4, 2026.
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  23. 23.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Dorian (AL052019), NOAA National Hurricane Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  24. 24.Florida Building Commission, 'Setting New Standards for Safety: The Florida Building Code' (2004 publication; wind-speed figures in it are outdated and not used), Florida Building Commission. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  25. 25.2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Chapter 1 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription), UpCodes (Florida Building Code transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  26. 26.2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Chapter 15 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription), UpCodes (Florida Building Code transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  27. 27.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Climatology, NOAA National Hurricane Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  28. 28.Wikipedia, 'List of municipalities in Florida', Wikipedia. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  29. 29.FRSA, "New 2023 FBC Eighth Edition is Now in Effect", 2024-02-13, floridaroof.com. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  30. 30.Miami-Dade County RER notice, Miami. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  31. 31.Florida Statutes, section 713.135 (2026), Florida Legislature. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  32. 32.NOAA Atlas 14 at Pahokee: 9.47 in/hr (5-minute, 10-year). NOAA Atlas 14 Precipitation Frequency Data Server. Read Oct 5, 2026.

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Gutters in Pahokee

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