Rhine water levels in November

November 2026 currently gives a Rhine cruise a 45% chance of going exactly as planned: high risk. It comes from the live forecast, which updates each morning.

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.

November usually brings the autumn rain that refills the rivers, and most years recover through the month. A late autumn can leave the first weeks lean.

Across thirty years of records, November ran as planned on the Rhine in about 53% of years, 10th calmest of the twelve months. The calmest months here are June and March; September and October lean hardest on the rain.

The last five Novembers, from the official record: 2025 clear · 2024 12 low water days · 2023 clear · 2022 clear · 2021 20 low water days. Of the last five, 2024 and 2021 hit low water; 2025, 2023 and 2022 sailed clear.

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.