Using ESRI ArcGIS/ArcMap, you can load a WMS directly into your existing map.

Note: For EFAS users →  you will need to retrieve your wms access token through the web interface as explained in Credentials for accessing CEMS-Flood WMS-T (Web Map Service Time) to use EFAS WMS in QGIS.

Quick start guide (ArcMap v.10.0.2)

1) Launch ArcMap

2) In the Catalog panel (on the right-hand side of the screen) click on the Add WMS Server icon

3) In the 'Add WMS Server' window insert the GloFAS WMS URL (https://ows.globalfloods.eu/glofas-ows/ows.py?) in the URL section then click on the Get Layers button to retrieve the WMS layers.

For EFAS, the url will be the one you obtained from your credentials (see the note above).

After the retrieving of the layers click on the OK button to close the window:

4) At this point in the Catalog panel you should see all the available GloFAS layers. To view the layers simply drag and drop the layer icon into the Table of Contents panel on the left of the screen.

In the Table of Contents you can see the legend associated with each layer by right clicking the name of the layer and then select the legend from the context menu:

5) Some of the layers are queryable, in order to retrieve the info for the layer:

  • Select the layer from the Table of Contents (the layer name needs to be highlighted)
  • In the main toolbar locate the info button
  • Click on any feature of the layer in the Map Panel and the Identify result window will open with the information for the layer

6) Is it possible to request different forecast times using the time slider button. This will open a time slider window, moving the cursor will call different forecast times for the selected layer:

(a) Open the Time Slider Window and a popup will appear

(b) Go to Options (in the popup) and modify the following inputs: display date format = yyyy-MM-dd, display time format = none

(c) Now, using the Time slider you can load the GloFAS WMS layers specified in the available range

Further documentation on how to use WMS with ArcGIS can be found here.