Rhine water levels in April

The current figure for April 2027 on the Rhine is 40%: the chance a sailing runs into low water at the shallowest stretch. In short, elevated. Until the live forecast reaches April, about seven months ahead, this is the thirty-year record.

April rides the strengthening snowmelt. The mountains release winter's storage week by week, and levels build toward their early-summer best.

April has hit low water in roughly 40% of the past thirty years on this river, 7th calmest of the twelve months. June and May run calmest on the Rhine, August and September riskiest.

The last five Aprils, from the official record: 2026 clear · 2025 14 low water days · 2024 clear · 2023 clear · 2022 3 low water days. Year to year it swings: 2025 and 2022 met low water in April, and 2026, 2024 and 2023 stayed clear.

Affected rarely means canceled. On the Rhine it usually means a ship swap, a rerouted day, or a stretch covered by bus, almost always at the gorge between Rüdesheim and Koblenz. That shallow reach decides every Amsterdam to Basel itinerary.

To turn this into a date-specific answer, use the cruise checker. The wider picture is on the Rhine page and in when to go.