A forecast update provided by our colleagues from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Lower Mississippi River Forecast Center is here. Highlights from today’s update specific to the New Orleans area are reproduced below:

The lower Ohio River will slowly rise over the next couple of days.  Rises from routed water on the Ohio River will continue downstream on the lower Mississippi River over the next 1 to 2 weeks.  Minor to isolated moderate flooding continues on the lower Ohio River and isolated minor flooding is either occurring or forecast to occur on the lower Mississippi River.

On the lower Mississippi River, minor flooding is occurring from Tiptonville, TN to Osceola, AR and minor flooding is expected at New Madrid, MO and Red River Landing, LA during the next several days.

Cresting conditions are still expected at New Orleans, LA for the third week of March.

The 16 day future rainfall guidance is showing another 3 to 5 inches of rainfall over the lower Missouri, middle, Mississippi, and lower Ohio Valleys.  The guidance is showing a secondary rise on the lower Ohio for late March and the crest heights would be several feet lower than the current crest.  This secondary rise would also prolong flooding for a couple of more weeks.

The Carrollton Gauge at New Orleans is still predicted to crest at 13.0 feet on March 22, 2021, a secondary rise below the level of that crest is being included in most forecasts.

Please review the linked attachment for complete details as distributed by NOAA’s Lower Mississippi River Forecast Center.