The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Lower Mississippi River Forecast Center (LMRFC) released the update below today to document the low river stage conditions. The LMRFC provided the quoted text below along with the attachment to update historic low water readings and the updated river stage predictions from Cairo (IL) to Baton Rouge (LA). 

“Over the last two weeks we have seen improvements in stages and flows on the Lower Mississippi below Cairo. The official 28-day forecast with 48 hours of future rainfall shows a falling river for the next 28 days down to Natchez, MS where the current crest is.

Our forecasts that include 16 days of future rainfall are showing the potential for additional rainfall in the next two weeks that could bring another rise down the lower Mississippi that would persist to maintain elevated stages above critical levels through mid December.  

It is still a little early to say that we are entirely done with low flow for this season, but will issue at least one more, and maybe final update, in two weeks as we monitor the rainfall and river conditions.” (Emphasis supplied)

The supporting information below was prepared by the Big River Coalition:

The Carrolton Gage (New Orleans) reading at 1300 hours today was 4.62 feet with a 24-hour change of + 0.68 feet.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Weather Service Extended Streamflow Prediction (28-Day) for the Carrollton Gage issued today forecasts that stages will sporadically fall to 4.5 feet on December 17 (2024).

Long-range forecasts only include precipitation expected to fall in the next 48-hours.