NATCHEZ — The Mississippi River in Natchez experienced the first flood of 2020 Wednesday.

The National Weather Service reported the river at 48.5 feet on the Natchez gage Wednesday — six inches above flood stage. The weather service has issued a flood warning for the Mississippi River from Greenville to Wilkinson County.

In Natchez, flood stage is at 48 feet, moderate flooding is at 51 feet and major flooding is at 57 feet.

NWS river forecasts predict a crest of 51.5 feet on Jan. 30. River levels are forecast to drop below 48 feet on Feb. 2.

Forecasts only take into account rainfall forecasts for the next 48 hours. Forecasts are updated every six hours and could change with additional estimates of precipitation.

If last year is an indication, residents may have to wait a long time before river drops backs down below flood stage.

Last year, the river was above flood stage in Natchez for more days than it was below the flood stage. In 2019, Natchez experienced the longest-ever flood recorded in the region — a flood that started on Jan. 4, 2019 and lasted 212 days.

Last year’s flood broke the previous record of 77 days, set in 1927.

The river dropped below flood stage on Aug. 6.

On March 11, the river crested at 57.83 feet, the third-highest crest ever recorded in Natchez.

The two highest crests ever recorded in the area are a 61.95-foot crest set on May 19, 2011, and a 58.04-foot crest set on Feb. 21, 1937.