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). 

“The current forecasted low stages in the report are in the trough that is now making it’s way down river will occur in the next week and should then be followed by higher stages on the Lower Mississippi for a couple weeks or so after that.

The extended rainfall pattern is showing 3-5 inches of forecast rain over the midwest and northern US that will contribute flow to the Lower Mississippi. It should provide at least some temporary relief from extreme lower stages, but still have another couple months of climatological low flow to see us through this year.” (Emphasis supplied)

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

The Carrolton Gage (New Orleans) reading at 1300 hours today was 2.41 feet with a 24-hour change of – 0.18 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 continue a rise expected to crest at 2.9 feet on November 8 and remain steady for several days before beginning a slow fall to 2.3 feet on November 27 (2024).

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