Danube water levels in February

For February 2027 the Danube stands at 46% low water risk at its shallowest stretch: high risk. This comes from the live forecast and is updated every morning.

February is late winter: the snowpack is still banking water in the mountains and the rivers run lean but steady. Most years the small winter fleet sails without trouble.

The long record puts February at low water in about 73% of years, 5th calmest of the twelve months on the Danube. Book May or April for the calmest water; August and September carry the most risk.

The last five Februarys, from the official record: 2026 12 low water days · 2025 16 low water days · 2024 clear · 2023 8 low water days · 2022 clear. 2024 and 2022 came through February clear; 2026, 2025 and 2023 did not.

Affected rarely means canceled. On the Danube it means ship swaps or bus days on the shallow reach between Straubing and Vilshofen and through the Wachau valley.

For your own dates, the cruise checker scores the exact window day by day. The Danube page carries the live gauges, and when to go compares all four rivers.