The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Lower Mississippi River Forecast Center (LMRFC) released the update below to document the low river stage conditions (today). The LMRFC provided the following text along with this link for today’s update that details low water stages from Cairo (IL) to Baton Rouge (LA).
“Heavy rain from last week has generated a beneficial rise on the lower Ohio and lower Mississippi Rivers. Cairo, IL on the lower Ohio River crested above 20ft yesterday. Cresting conditions are moving downstream on the lower Mississippi River and approaching Caruthersville, MO this morning. Rises should continue on the lower Mississippi River over the next 10 days.
Another round of rainfall is expected today and tomorrow for parts of Missouri extending east into the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys. One to two inches of rainfall is forecast over this area and the runoff may help slow down recessions on the lower Ohio and middle Mississippi Rivers.
The 16 day future rainfall model is showing slightly higher stages on the lower Ohio River and Cario, IL. The model is now showing Cairo, IL falling below 10ft by the end of August, which is one week later than last week.
Attached is a graphic comparing previous low water conditions to our lowest forecast stage in the next 28 days.” (Emphasis supplied)
The Carrolton Gage (New Orleans) reading at 1300 hours today was 2.69 feet with a 24-hour change of + 0.17 feet.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Weather Service Extended Streamflow Prediction (28-Day) for the Carrollton Gage issued today forecasts stages will continue a slow rise until cresting at 4.3 feet on August 18 and then resume aslow fall to 2.5 feet on September 6 (2023).
However, precipitation projected over the next 72-hours will most likely lead to another rise in the 28-day predictions over the next few days. The highest crest in 2023 on the Carrollton Gage was recorded at 2400 hours on April 13 at 14.10 feet. Long-range forecasts only include precipitation expected to fall in the next 48-hours.
The graphs below are the latest 2 and 16 Day river stage forecasts for Cairo (IL) and New Orleans (LA) as reproduced from NOAA’s National Weather Service website (today).
