Gutters · South Bay

Gutters in South Bay, FL

In a 10-year storm, rain in South Bay can fall at 9.5 inches an hour over five minutes, according to NOAA Atlas 14 values for this town. That burst, not the daily total, decides whether a gutter overflows. A gutter sized for a gentle afternoon shower can fill and spill over the fascia within minutes.

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Updated October 2026

Two-story white city hall with peach trim and palm trees under a blue sky. — Photo: South Bay FL city hall01 by Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped

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. — Photo: South Bay FL city hall01 by Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped

Sizing for local rain

How much a South Bay gutter has to carry

Sizing starts with the rain rate, not the rainfall total. Here the 10-year, 5-minute rate is 9.5 inches an hour and the 100-year rate is 13.5 inches an hour. The 1-hour, 10-year rate is 2.81 inches an hour, so the long downpour matters too. Over 24 hours a 10-year storm drops 6.47 inches.

Wide view of a two-story stucco home with a charcoal shingle hip roof and a complete white gutter and downspout system, screened lanai, palms and a live oak (illustration)

Illustration: two story system

Rain near Lake Okeechobee runs lighter by the year than on the coast. Belle Glade averages 55.22 inches, against 61.75 at West Palm Beach Intl Airport. Yearly totals mislead, though. Most of the damage comes from the burst rate in a single storm, so size to that rate, not to the annual average.

The plumbing code ties horizontal gutter size to flow off the roof surface. Moving a South Bay gutter from 5 inches to 6 inches raises its capacity from 74 to 110 gallons per minute at 1/8 inch per foot slope. Add half the area of any tall wall that sheds rain onto the roof before choosing a downspout size.

Discharge rules

Downspout discharge on older South Bay lots

Florida code requires gutters with downspouts on South Bay homes whose eaves project less than 6 inches, and each downspout must empty at least 1 foot from the sidewall. A buried pipe, a tail extension or a splash block can do that job.

The median home here dates to 1974, and 67.9 percent of units predate 1980, against 33.5 percent countywide. Many of these homes likely have short downspouts that dump at the footing. Check where yours empties, and ask the City of South Bay Planning and Building office what your permit needs.

Keeping gutters clear

Leaves, pollen and cleaning dates

Wet months set the cleaning calendar. At West Palm Beach Intl Airport, 67.3 percent of the year's rain falls from May through October, and August is the wettest month at 8.68 inches. Clear your gutters before May, since a clogged run in August has nowhere to send that water.

Oak leaves and pollen build up in spring, with Florida pollen peaking in March and April. Pine needles drop heavily in autumn. Clean after the oak drop and again after the needle peak, and more often under thick canopy. Stay off the roof when thunder is audible, as NWS Miami advises.

Rain on your roof

Roof area (square feet)Rain (inches)

Preset: 6.47 inches, the 10-year 24-hour rain (NOAA Atlas 14 at South Bay).

8,062 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 South Bay: questions

How hard does it rain in South Bay?

In a 10-year storm, South Bay can see 9.5 inches an hour over five minutes, based on NOAA Atlas 14 values for this town. A 100-year storm reaches 13.5 inches an hour. Over 24 hours, a 10-year storm drops 6.47 inches. Gutters should be sized for these burst rates, not for average rainfall. Confirm any permit questions with the City of South Bay Planning and Building office.

Source: NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 9 version 2, partial-duration intensity estimates at the South Bay 2020 Census internal point (26.6884, -80.7355), read Oct 5, 2026

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What size gutter does a South Bay home need?

The plumbing code lists capacity by profile and slope. A 5-inch half-round gutter at 1/8 inch per foot carries 74 gallons per minute, and a 6-inch carries 110. Working it through, that comes to roughly 49 percent higher. With a 9.5 inch per hour burst rate in a 10-year storm here, your roof's area and pitch decide the final size.

Source: 2023 Florida Building Code, Plumbing, 8th ed., Chapter 11 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription), read Oct 5, 2026

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Where should downspouts drain on a South Bay home?

Each downspout must discharge at least 1 foot from the structure sidewall under Florida code. Buried pipe, tail extensions and splash blocks all qualify. About 67.9 percent of South Bay homes were built before 1980, so many have short or missing extensions. Check the discharge point on your own house and ask the City of South Bay Planning and Building office about permit needs.

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

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When should I clean gutters in South Bay?

Clean them before May, since 67.3 percent of the year's rain at West Palm Beach Intl Airport falls from May through October. Clean again after the autumn pine needle drop, and after spring oak leaves and pollen. Do not climb onto the roof when thunder can be heard, as NWS Miami advises. Heavy tree cover means more frequent cleaning.

Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (access data service), read Oct 5, 2026

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