Rhine water levels 2016 and similar topics

[notamermaid]

As predicted the flood warning level 2, which means closure to river traffic was not reached. The river levels on the Rhine as far down as Düsseldorf are falling. Cologne peaked yesterday at 6.55m. At 7m there that river section would have been closed.

 

More rain and thunderstorms are coming over the next three days.

 

At the moment it is still sunny here, things will change during the afternoon or evening.

 

notamermaid

[Daisi]

Just saw the flooding in southern Germany & France on the news. I feel for those who live in the area, as well as for anyone travelling. Hopefully the storms will be over soon.

[notamermaid]

Hello Daisi,

 

unfortunately we are getting ready for more storms and rain here over the weekend. The river level has risen a little again in the Middle Rhine valley. A road on the embankment in the Rhine gorge is affected, but sailing is just a little slower than usual. Not much impact there.

 

Worst around here is the river Ahr, a tributary to the Rhine and further downstream the old town of Xanthen is flooded. Authorities fear for a dam at Wesel to break. A train line there is closed. A couple of motorways are affected.

 

The sun is shining here right now. :)

 

notamermaid

Edited June 3, 2016 by notamermaid

[Daisi]

Yeah, I hear they shut the Louvre today to save some of it's displays. Stay safe.

[notamermaid]

Last night's thunderstorms exceeded my fears for this weekend and the Rock festival I mentioned in post #94.

 

Quite suddenly the sky darkened last night and a thunderstorm brought flash floods. It felt as if the dark cloud was right over my house. I saw the lightning come down in the distance and thought "oh, no this is the direction the festival is in". I was terribly right. The lightning struck the festival grounds and 71 people were injured. It was difficult for the emergency services as the ground is too soft for vehicles from all the rain.

 

There have been talks of cancelling the remainder of the event, but at the moment it sounds as if it will go ahead.

 

I am safe in my home looking at a beautifully sunny sky which will with all likelihood turn into a cruel dark grey again tonight.

 

All experts are surprised about the severity and the length of thunderstorms situation.

 

The river level is still at floodwarning 1 but as mentioned before this has hardly any affect on river cruising.

 

notamermaid

[sunsetbeachgal]

Thanks for your posts notamermaid, and hoping you and yours all are safe and sound. :)

 

We begin our journey tomorrow and board our Rhine cruise in Basel June 13. I do hope the bad weather moves away!

[notamermaid]

Thank you sunsetbeachgal.

 

Safe travels and enjoy your cruise. The Rhine is truely lovely in nice weather. Ok, I am biased, fully admit :D.

 

Must remember to look out for the Scenic Opal with my binoculars.

 

notamermaid

[Florida Jim]

My personal recommendation if you get down to Jazzbeau's area is Lulu's in Gulf Shore, the Smoked Shrimp Dip is to die for. http://www.lulubuffett.com/gulf-shores/menus.php

[H2Otstr]

Thanks for your posts notamermaid, and hoping you and yours all are safe and sound. :)

 

We begin our journey tomorrow and board our Rhine cruise in Basel June 13. I do hope the bad weather moves away!

 

From one Coastal North Carolinian to another (:D), have fun. I hope that you are able to cruise thru and not have any problems.

[Florida Jim]

Thanks for posting river status, Notamermaid. Doing Amsterdam to Basel (Viking Vidar) in 4 days, I really appreciate the updates.

Edited June 4, 2016 by Florida Jim

[Daisi]

Thanks for the posts notamermaid. I hope those injured in the festival aren't seriously hurt. I know it's a inconvenience to have your holiday rained out, but for those who are living in the areas who have such damages to recoup from really have my thoughts. Hopefully the worst is over...for everyone.

[cruisinggranmama]

From one Coastal North Carolinian to another (:D), have fun. I hope that you are able to cruise thru and not have any problems.

 

And ditto from another coastal North Carolinian. We are on Avalon Visionary Amsterdam to Basel departing June 11. Guess we will pass you, H2Otstr, along the Rhine at some point.

 

Have been watching this thread very carefully. The flooding is so said for so many living in the affected areas.

[DerStruwwelpeter]

Thank you sunsetbeachgal.

 

Safe travels and enjoy your cruise. The Rhine is truely lovely in nice weather. Ok, I am biased, fully admit :D.

 

Must remember to look out for the Scenic Opal with my binoculars.

 

notamermaid

 

Just found this site and I'm enjoying your weather and water level updates. I will be on The River Splendor on June 12.

[notamermaid]

Hello DerStruwwelpeter,

 

Thank you and welcome to CruiseCritic. Our host jazzbeau has linked and written some great pages with lots of info, they are on the river cruise forum title page, the stickies called New to RIVER CRUISING??? START HERE!!! and River Cruise Basics articles on Cruise Critic

 

Interesting to read, even when your river cruise is so close. Have fun roaming round the pages and threads and most of all enjoy your cruise. :)

 

notamermaid

[notamermaid]

Yesterday late afternoon, shortly after my post, the heavens opened again. This time in the area - apart from the ill-fated rockfestival again - Bonn and the surrounding towns were hit hard. Part of the local motorway was submerged for a few of hours till the waters had flowed off. A dam broke in the area giving a village an unplesant "Venice experience". Small rivers that are completely unassuming and lovely, adorning villages in the hills, have turned into fast streams, causing many problems locally, for example yesterday in the Eifel region (North Northeast of Koblenz).

 

The rock festival went ahead yesterday after hours of interruption but today's concerts are cancelled, so the festival ended one day early. Authorities now say 82 people were injured.

 

More thunderstorms are forecast for lunchtime/afternoon and I can already hear the rumbling...

 

But the river level is more or less unchanged.

 

Monday is supposed to calm down a little with Tuesday - due to the high temperatures - bringing more thunderstorms.

 

Safe travels everyone.

 

notamermaid

[notamermaid]

Temperatures in the Rhine valley remain high. As mentioned before it is a little calmer today than in the three days before but many bad weather warnings are in place. Severe weather is only forcast for parts of Northrhine-Westfalia in the hills.

 

At 28 degrees, 29 in parts of the valley, it feels humid and there is a certain haze, it felt a little jungle-like yesterday.

 

Temperatures are forecast to go down a little and the weather is supposed to calm down from Thursday onwards.

 

The river level is still keeping at the high level of the last two days. But there is room for more water, no flood warning level 2 in sight. Travel speed is reduced and the boats and barges are using the middle of the navigation channel. Both things you are unlikely to notice on your journey they will hardly impede your journey.

 

notamermaid

[M&Rsquared]

notamermaid, I hope you're having a good day and the stormy weather pattern has left your area.

 

I was wondering... are mosquitoes a problem in Germany?

They luv me - please tell me I won't have to worry.

[ShannonSC2]

notamermaid, I hope you're having a good day and the stormy weather pattern has left your area.

 

I was wondering... are mosquitoes a problem in Germany?

They luv me - please tell me I won't have to worry.

 

I was wondering the same thing. Especially with all the rain in the area.

 

Notamermaid I hope the weather patterns will shift. Is it normal for all the rain you guys are experiencing?

[Spartantartan]

Many thanks for your updates, Notamermaid. We are booked for a Rhine cruise at the end of this month, and I check for your posts every day or so.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[notamermaid]

Hello M&Rsquared,

 

notamermaid, I hope you're having a good day and the stormy weather pattern has left your area.

 

I was wondering... are mosquitoes a problem in Germany?

They luv me - please tell me I won't have to worry.

 

Funny you should ask that as only yesterday I saw a report on the mosquitoes in the Rhine valley. Before you start worrying I will quickly add that they are not of the very malicious type and are hardly a nuisance. For the following reason: the lakes and standing waters of the "old Rhine" areas as well as the natural swamps (sounds more dramatic then it is) are loved by mosquitoes, especially this year in the current humid and warm conditions. Every year in Spring an organisation called KABS combats this by killing mosquito larvae with biological measures. They operate in partnership internationally under the name German Mosquito Control Association. It reduces the number of mosquitoes significantly.

 

I would recommend a standard insect repellent if you are sensitive and close the windows on your ship towards the evening and before you put the light on. If you think they might keep you awake at night get a mosquito net for the window, you can buy them in all shapes and sizes. But I think for me that would be too much. I used to be liked by mosquitoes, since those widespread measures have been in place I hardly get any bites. In my place I kill around 30 per summer living close to water.

 

I stayed in a hotel next to a small river in England a couple of years ago and it was much worse.

 

I cannot say anything about the conditions in the lower Rhine but it should be hardly any different from my area. I am not sure about Dutch river conditions.

 

notamermaid

[notamermaid]

Hello ShannonSC2,

 

I was wondering the same thing. Especially with all the rain in the area.

 

Notamermaid I hope the weather patterns will shift. Is it normal for all the rain you guys are experiencing?

 

It is not normal, the unusally wet and stormy conditions were caused by a big weather low and then another low that was trapped within three highs, hardly moving. That is what the weathermen explained.

 

It is warmer than normal for June and the thunderstorms are heavier and more frequent then they would be. Thursday is forecast to get us back to normal weather patterns.

 

It will remain warm but will not be hot.

 

notamermaid

[notamermaid]

Thanks for posting river status, Notamermaid. Doing Amsterdam to Basel (Viking Vidar) in 4 days, I really appreciate the updates.

 

Thank you. Have a great cruise.

 

notamermaid

[M&Rsquared]

Thank you notamermaid.

[tinkky]

Hope all is good for you

Edited June 7, 2016 by tinkky

[notamermaid]

Thank you Spartantartan,

 

Many thanks for your updates, Notamermaid. We are booked for a Rhine cruise at the end of this month, and I check for your posts every day or so.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

I am happy to share what is happening in my river valley.

 

Incidentally, there was a big event that we are celebrating the bi-centinerary of soon. More on that later after lunch. :)

 

notamermaid

Edited June 8, 2016 by notamermaid