Acqua Alta in Venice - Full Moon November 13

Did you know that while we are in Venice there is a very good chance that there will be flooding? I had seen this in a Lifetime movie, with everyone acting very nonchalant about the fact there was five inches of water in St. Marks Square. And then we started having a discussion over on Cruise Critic about this occurrence -- and what to do if it should happen while we are there!

Here is a quote from this Venice tour site:

“Acqua Alta” as its known by the Venetians is a regular occurrence in Venice. There are numerous factors that can play a role in creating the high waters that flood the city of Venice. The main culprit is the tidal flow of the Adriatic as it pushes water into the Lagoon. This tidal flow tends to be at its most influential at the beginning and end of the full moon cycle.

Although, typically, Venice if it does flood tends to flood around the changing of the seasons in the Fall and the Spring. November is normally the worst month for flooding in Venice...

Another reason for the flooding is the winds from the south and high barometric pressure pushing water up to the Venice area. Rick Steves reports that there is a measuring device you can see at the side of the Campanile in St. Marks Square. When the water level rises one meter, a warning siren sounds. Another good explanation is the article on Wikipedia on the Acqua Alta.

So you see the fact that the full moon would be November 13, and we arrive in Venice on Saturday, November 15, is important. But the website goes on to say that in one year in the third week of November the water was so low (and the temperature below freezing) you could almost walk across from the mainland.

So what to do? Venice for Visitors website provides great pictures of the flooding and suggests what to do. You could buy galoshes to take with you like these, which will probably be good enough unless there is extreme flooding. The flooding usually only lasts for a few hours, and the city does provide wooden walkways in some areas when this occurs. You could take some garbage bags and string from home. Or you could buy boots in Venice.

And here are more pictures,
by apollard17b.

Top picture courtesy of Flicker user Gweneal Paiser.