A forecast update provided today by our colleagues from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Lower Mississippi River Forecast Center (LMRFC) is here.  The latest crest at New Orleans (Carrollton Gage) occurred yesterday (Sunday, March 20, 2022) cresting at 13.34 feet, stages are expected to remain steady the next few days before beginning a slow fall to 9.9 feet on April 18, 2022.  The most recent crest is the highest reading on the Carrollton Gage in 2022. 

The following details are reproduced from the attached report:

“ The lower Mississippi River is cresting from Baton Rouge, LA to New Orleans, LA. 

Minor flooding will continue on the lower Mississippi River at Natchez, MS downstream to Baton Rouge, LA.  By this weekend, minor flooding should end at Baton Rouge, LA.  Minor flooding will continue for another week or two at Natchez, MS and Red River Landing, LA.  

The lower Ohio River and lower Mississippi River above Vicksburg, MS are falling and all locations are below flood stage.

Over the next couple of days, two to six inches of rainfall is forecast for parts of Louisiana and Mississippi extending north into the lower Ohio Valley.  This rainfall may cause renewed minor to isolated moderate flooding over smaller tributaries in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and west Tennessee. 

The 16 day future rainfall guidance continues to show recessions on the lower Ohio River through this week and then renewed rises for early April.  The lower Ohio River could return to minor flooding for the first week of April.  The rises would prolong flooding at Red River Landing, LA and extend elevated levels on the lower Mississippi River through late April.”