In Genesis, how long did the floodwaters prevail on the earth?

In Genesis, the floodwaters prevailed on the earth for 150 days.

Genesis 7:24 says that the waters prevailed upon the earth for 150 days. Genesis 8 then describes the waters gradually receding, with the Ark coming to rest and the surrounding mountains becoming visible later in the chronology. This is a different measurement from the forty days and forty nights of rain.

The distinction between rainfall and flood duration is one of the most commonly confused details in the Ark story. Forty days describes the period of heavy rain in Genesis 7:12, whereas 150 days describes how long the waters remained dominant or high according to the narrative's chronology. The account continues beyond both figures until the ground is dry and Noah leaves the Ark.

Because Genesis includes several dates and intervals, readers and commentators have proposed different ways to reconcile its chronology. The 150-day statement itself, however, is explicit in the text and is the standard answer to this wording.