La Crosse, WI

Weather Forecast Office

Mississippi River Spring Flood - 2023

Key Points (updated 05:00 AM, 5/6/2023)

Mississippi River has crested from Lake City to Guttenberg Dam 10. MAJOR level flooding occurred at Wabasha, Winona, Trempealeau, La Crosse, and McGregor.
It will take until around May 10th (a little earlier for northern sites, a little later for southern sites) for most sites to fall below Flood Stage. Another week from there for the river to fall back within its banks.
The river was at its highest since 2001. - Most sites saw a top 5 crest.
Do not enter flooded waters - hidden debris that the flood has picked up along the way can cause serious injury and/or trap you under the water with strong currents.
Adjustments to official river forecasts (the purple line on the graphs below under "Latest Stages / 7 Day Forecasts") will be made at least twice per day in the AM & PM. Reference the official forecasts often and use them as a guide to help your planning - they take into account additional rainfall and how the snowmelt has been progressing.

Latest Stages / 7-Day Forecasts
Timing / Crests
Background Info
What To Do?
Historic Spring Floods

Current Stages & 7-Day Forecasts

Flood Categories
Major Flood:	20 ft
Moderate Flood:	18 ft
Flood Stage:	16 ft
Action Stage:	14 ft
Historical Crests:
22.18 ft on 04/19/1965 20.20 ft on 04/17/1969 20.13 ft on 04/16/2001 19.17 ft on 04/18/1952 19.06 ft on 04/16/1951

Wabasha [more details]

Flood Categories
Major Flood:	16 ft
Moderate Flood:	14 ft
Flood Stage:	12 ft
Action Stage:	10 ft
Historical Crests:
20.05 ft on 04/19/1965 18.22 ft on 04/16/2001 17.63 ft on 04/16/1969 16.71 ft on 04/18/1952 16.53 ft on 04/11/1997

Alma[more details]

Flood Categories
Major Flood:	18 ft
Moderate Flood:	17 ft
Flood Stage:	16 ft
Action Stage:	11 ft
Historical Crests:
19.78 ft on 04/19/1965 18.15 ft on 04/16/2001 17.53 ft on 04/18/1969 16.30 ft on 04/18/1952 16.20 ft on 04/16/1951

Minnesota City[more details]

Flood Categories
Major Flood:	665 ft
Moderate Flood:	662 ft
Flood Stage:	660 ft
Action Stage:	657 ft
Historical Crests:
667.85 ft on 04/19/1965 665.70 ft on 04/16/2001 665.45 ft on 04/11/1997 665.10 ft on 04/18/1969 663.84 ft on 04/19/1952

Winona Dam 5A [more details]

Flood Categories
Major Flood:	661 ft
Moderate Flood:	659 ft
Flood Stage:	655 ft
Action Stage:	650 ft
Historical Crests:
663.35 ft on 04/19/1965 661.95 ft on 04/17/2001 661.60 ft on 04/11/1997 661.37 ft on 04/19/1969 659.90 ft on 04/20/1952

Winona [more details]

Flood Categories
Major Flood:	18 ft
Moderate Flood:	15 ft
Flood Stage:	13 ft
Action Stage:	11 ft
Historical Crests:
20.77 ft on 04/19/1965 20.07 ft on 04/17/2001 19.44 ft on 04/19/1969 18.30 ft on 04/11/1997 17.93 ft on 04/20/1952

Trempealeau[more details]

Flood Categories
Major Flood:	651 ft
Moderate Flood:	649 ft
Flood Stage:	647 ft
Action Stage:	644 ft
Historical Crests:
653.02 ft on 04/21/1965 651.43 ft on 04/18/2001 651.40 ft on 04/11/1997 650.80 ft on 04/19/1969 649.98 ft on 04/20/1952

La Crescent [more details]

Flood Categories
Major Flood:	645 ft
Moderate Flood:	643 ft
Flood Stage:	641 ft
Action Stage:	638 ft
Historical Crests:
647.38 ft on 04/21/1965 645.20 ft on 04/18/2001 644.87 ft on 04/20/1969 644.30 ft on 04/20/1952 643.85 ft on 04/19/1951

La Crosse [more details]

Flood Categories
Major Flood:	15.5 ft
Moderate Flood:	13 ft
Flood Stage:	12 ft
Action Stage:	10 ft
Historical Crests:
17.89 ft on 04/22/1965 16.41 ft on 04/18/2001 15.70 ft on 04/20/1969 15.30 ft on 04/20/1952 15.01 ft on 04/12/1997

Genoa [more details]

Flood Categories
Major Flood:	636 ft
Moderate Flood:	634 ft
Flood Stage:	631 ft
Action Stage:	625.2 ft
Historical Crests:
638.40 ft on 04/22/1965 636.45 ft on 04/12/1997 636.21 ft on 04/18/2001 635.24 ft on 04/20/1969 634.52 ft on 04/20/1952

Lansing [more details]

Flood Categories
Major Flood:	20 ft
Moderate Flood:	19 ft
Flood Stage:	17 ft
Action Stage:	12 ft
Historical Crests:
22.50 ft on 04/24/1965 19.93 ft on 04/21/2001 19.90 ft on 06/20/1880 18.88 ft on 04/22/1969 18.46 ft on 06/30/1993

Lynxville[more details]

Flood Categories
Major Flood:	631 ft
Moderate Flood:	628 ft
Flood Stage:	625 ft
Action Stage:	620 ft
Historical Crests:
633.16 ft on 04/24/1965 631.22 ft on 04/21/2001 631.05 ft on 04/14/1997 629.42 ft on 04/22/1969 629.08 ft on 06/30/1993

McGregor [more details]

Flood Categories
Major Flood: 22 ft	22 ft
Moderate Flood: 19 ft	19 ft
Flood Stage: 16 ft	16 ft
Action Stage: 13 ft	13 ft
Historical Crests:
25.38 ft on 04/24/1965 23.75 ft on 04/20/2001 21.98 ft on 06/29/1993 21.75 ft on 04/26/2019 21.58 ft on 04/22/1969

Guttenberg[more details]

Flood Categories
Major Flood: 21 ft	21 ft
Moderate Flood: 18 ft	18 ft
Flood Stage: 15 ft	15 ft
Action Stage: 12 ft	12 ft
Historical Crests:
23.65 ft on 04/24/1965 21.68 ft on 04/21/2001 20.15 ft on 06/30/1993 19.98 ft on 04/27/2019 19.84 ft on 04/22/1969

Preliminary Timing & Crests

Flooding this spring produced crests down the mainstem Mississippi River somewhere between 2019 and 2001 flood levels - most of these crests fell within the top 5 on record.

The bulk of the snowpack in the Mississippi River basin has melted and this water is working down the river. Additional rises along the Mississippi River will be tied to any future precipitation.

After the river crests, it will take 2 to 3 weeks for the river to fall back to normal levels. Any precipitation that falls during this sensitive time may result in secondary crests and/or a prolonged period of the river remaining above flood stage.

The information below (as of May 1) is based on preliminary data and is subject to review and adjustments.*

Location	Major Flood Stage	Preliminary 2023 Crest	Crest Timing	2023 Crest Rank	2019 Crest	2001 Crest	1965 Crest
Lake City	20 ft	~18.98 ft	Crested April 25	6th	17.63 ft	20.13 ft	22.18 ft
Wabasha	16 ft	~17.03 ft	Crested April 25	4th	15.54 ft	18.22 ft	20.05 ft
Alma	18 ft	~17.05 ft	Crested April 25	4th	15.50 ft	18.15 ft	19.78 ft
MN City Dam	665 ft	~664.30 ft	Crested April 25	5th	662.62 ft	665.70 ft	667.85 ft
Winona Dam	661 ft	~660.51 ft	Crested April 26	5th	658.75 ft	661.95 ft	663.35 ft
Winona	18 ft	~18.81 ft	Crested April 26	4th	17.30 ft	20.07 ft	20.77 ft
Trempealeau	651 ft	~651.01	Crested April 25	4th	649.80 ft	651.43 ft	653.02 ft
La Crescent	645 ft	~644.77 ft	Crested April 26	4th	643.9 ft	645.20 ft	647.38 ft
La Crosse	15.5 ft	~15.89 ft	Crested April 26	3rd	14.58 ft	16.41 ft	17.89 ft
Genoa	636 ft	~635.72 ft	Crested April 27	4th	633.84 ft	636.21 ft	638.40 ft
Lansing	20 ft	~ 19.61 ft	Crested April 28	4th	17.89 ft	19.93 ft	22.50 ft
Lynxville	631 ft	~630.26 ft	Crested April 28	4th	628.74 ft	631.22 ft	633.16 ft
McGregor	22 ft	~ 22.91 ft	Crested April 28	3rd	21.75 ft	23.75 ft	25.38 ft
Guttenberg	21 ft	~20.98 ft	Crested April 28	3rd	19.98 ft	21.68 ft	23.65 ft

What do the flood crest categories mean?

MODERATE: some inundation of roads and structures near the river and/or some evacuations.
MAJOR: extensive inundation of roads and structures and/or significant evacuation efforts.

Background Information on High Chances of Flooding

Why was flooding likely this year along the Mississippi River? Multiple factors impacted this year's spring flooding potential, but the main driver was the unseasonably deep snowpack across northern parts of the region - coupled with the rapid warm-up that led to rapid melting.

Abnormally deep snowpack across the headwaters of the Mississippi River as well as other major river basins (Minnesota, St. Croix, Chippewa, Wisconsin) that feed into the mainstem of the Mississippi River; this snowpack contained approximately 4-8 inches of liquid equivalent.
Colder than normal March limited early, gradual melting of the snowpack, keeping it longer into spring when it becomes more susceptible to rapid warm-ups and melting.
An unusually warm (4 to 9°F warmer-than-normal) first half of April resulted in RAPID snowmelt into river systems that feed into the Mississippi River.
An unusually wet April likely helped increase the height of the crest. Through April 22, precipitation anomalies ranged near normal to 4" above normal in the basins that flow into the Upper Mississippi River. The largest anomalies were found in the Black River in Wisconsin, and Minnesota Basin in Minnesota.

How can this flood threat change?

Observed crests were roughly 12 to 18 hours ahead of schedule and 3 to 4 inches lower than expected, updated forecasts accounted for this.
Official river forecasts include 24 hours of expected rainfall. Rainfall beyond this period, or higher than forecast rainfall (thunderstorms) will result in higher river levels than forecast. Continue to monitor the latest forecasts on the "Latest Stages / 7-Day Forecasts" tab.

National Water Center's SWE Flight Analyses from April 7th & 8th, 2023

What To Do?

Follow local official instructions. Do not go around closed roadways. Do not enter flooded waters - hidden debris that the flood has picked up along the way can cause serious injury and/or trap you under the water with strong currents.

Historic Floods

A look back at historical floods across the local area.
The Mississippi River Spring Flood of April and May 2001.
More on the Mississippi River flood of 2001.
The spring Mississippi River flood of 1997.
A look back at the 1993 flooding.
The flooding of 1978.
Mississippi River Flood of 1965

Mississippi River has crested from Lake City to Guttenberg Dam 10. MAJOR level flooding occurred at Wabasha, Winona, Trempealeau, La Crosse, and McGregor.

Do not enter flooded waters - hidden debris that the flood has picked up along the way can cause serious injury and/or trap you under the water with strong currents.