The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Lower Mississippi River Forecast Center (LMRFC) released the update below yesterday 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). 

“This week we are expecting minimal rainfall in the Ohio and Lower Mississippi River Valleys, with an inch at the highest and many locations remaining dry. However there is expected to be a broad swath of 2+ inches of rain from central Kansas to northwest Wisconsin. 

Cairo stages are seeing minor fluctuations with peaking from Barkley/Kentucky dams but look to drop below 8.0 feet by the weekend and continue a gradual recession to base level low stages.

Our official forecast with 48 hour forecasted rainfall and longer range outlook with 16-days of future forecast rainfall are still not picking up on any significant additional rainfall over the next two weeks that will slow recessions.

Stages on the lower end of the Mississippi below Baton Rouge will continue to be moderated by winds and tides.

The Climate Prediction Center outlooks for the 8-14 day, one month and three month outlooks are calling for Normal to Below Normal conditions over the Ohio and Upper Mississippi.” (Emphasis supplied)

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

The Carrolton Gage (New Orleans) reading at 0900 hours today was 2.58 feet with a 24-hour change of – 0.13 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 short rise to 3.5 feet on September 23 and will then begin a slow fall to 2.3 feet on October 17 (2024).
Long-range forecasts only include precipitation expected to fall in the next 48-hours.