Wondering about Venice flooding
Hey folks, we're flying into Venice 12/11 and were going to stay until 12/13. Wondering if we should shorten that stay given the flooding. We have just 10 days for our first Italy visit. Maybe we just take a train to Florence that same day and leave Venice out of this trip?
Chris
Marion, Iowa US 11/14/12
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There was flooding in Venice last Sunday for a few hours. None since then. The flooding is tidal - it comes and it goes.
You can check the three day forecast here:http://www.comune.venezia.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeBLOB.php/L/EN/IDPagina/1748 . No worries unless it's very high and it also depends where you are staying at.
Thanks for the link to check the tides.
Our family will be leaving Chattanooga, TN for Venice this Friday 11/16/12. We watch the weather daily with some trepidation. However we plan to make the best of it high tidal waters or not.
My Venetian friend here in Denver reports from his friends back in Venice that the waters are receding at present. (11/14/2012)
The 'acqua alta' is a fairly common occurrence in Venice. I've been there in high water, and didn't 'dampen' my enjoyment of the city at all.
This one has been worse than usual but I wouldn't change by plans whether I was leaving this Friday or next month.
I'm betting by 12/11 you'll be high and dry and won't even know there had been high water.
I've been to Venice many times, including winter, but never had the luck of being there during Acqua Alta.
First of all, high tide is not the only factor that determines the phenomenon.
You also need abundant rainfall (which swells the rivers dumping water into the lagoon) and Scirocco winds, southeasterly winds (Scirocco=coming from Syria) which push the Adriatic surf to Northwest, toward the lagoon or also Bora winds, both of which slow down the out flowing of waters from the lagoon. to these factors you also need to add the effects on tides caused by the barometric pressure.
All of these factors together contribute to extraordinary high tides.
The reason why it happens more frequently in November is because the favorable meteorological conditions (heavy rain, winds and low atmospheric pressure) are more frequent.
Because of the many factors influencing the occurrence of the phenomenon, the acqua alta can be statistically forecasted with only few days' advance.
Nevertheless, if it happens when you are there, just arm yourself with some boots and enjoy the spectacle. I bet it will be an unforgettable experience that will provide plenty of funny stories and laughter for you and your family for years when you recount those moments.
We left Venice at 6am on November 11th and experienced Aqua Alta up to our knees. We walked about 1/4 mile to the train station. Found out two hours later we would have been swimming as the water was almost 5 feet. We will have this story to tell for years. CAN'T WAIT TO RETURN TO VENICE. What a magical city.
Quoted: "We left Venice at 6am on November 11th and experienced Aqua Alta up to our knees. We walked about 1/4 mile to the train station. Found out two hours later we would have been swimming as the water was almost 5 feet."
We were here in Venice all day on November 11th and the water was high but didn't come anywhere close to five feet. We waded in less than a foot of water at around 10:00 am to get to my family's accommodation close to Piazza San Marco (from the Rialto) to take them to the train station to catch a train for Florence at just before 1:00 pm. I am not sure where the five feet came from.
By the way, there have been no flooding since November 11th. In fact in the last 13 days, we have had some beautiful sunny days, a couple of drizzly days and a very foggy day today.
Yay! Thanks for the update!