According to Genesis, how long did rain fall during the flood associated with Noah’s Ark?

According to Genesis, rain fell for 40 days and 40 nights during the flood associated with Noah’s Ark. Genesis 7:12 uses that phrase when describing the beginning of the deluge.

The 40-day period refers specifically to the continuing rain, not necessarily to the entire time Noah and the animals remained in the Ark. Genesis separately describes the waters prevailing and later receding, creating a much longer overall chronology.

Genesis 7:24 says the waters prevailed over the earth for 150 days. The narrative then describes the Ark coming to rest, the appearance of mountain tops, and Noah’s eventual departure after the ground became dry.

The number 40 has symbolic importance in several biblical narratives, including Moses’ time on Sinai and Jesus’ time in the wilderness. In the flood story, however, the text uses it as a stated duration of rain.