Rhine water levels in February

The current figure for February 2027 on the Rhine is 28%: the chance a sailing runs into low water at the shallowest stretch. In short, elevated. It comes from the live forecast, which updates each 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 63% of years, 5th calmest of the twelve months on the Rhine. Book June or May for the calmest water; August and September carry the most risk.

The last five Februarys, from the official record: 2026 9 low water days · 2025 2 low water days · 2024 clear · 2023 22 low water days · 2022 1 low water day. Year to year it swings: 2026, 2025, 2023 and 2022 met low water in February, and 2024 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.