The morning note · Thursday, October 22, 2026

Rhine odds of sailing as planned rise to 20 percent

Rain reached the Alpine headwaters above Chur and Basel yesterday, 16.2 millimeters against a normal 3.2, and the Rhine's chance of sailing as planned this week went from 3 percent to 20. The river has not answered yet. Flow at Lobith eased again to 712 and the Rhine is still at low water, as is the Danube at Budapest, which sits at 3 percent as planned this week. On these rivers low water usually means lighter loading or a coach ride to a sister ship rather than a canceled river cruise.