Kyra7

I just read a report that Venice saw intense flooding today. I have planned a weekend trip there in a week and a half. Does anyone know if these floods can be forecasted or where to look to find more information? I would rather cancel my reservation than be stuck in my room for the weekend.
Thanks for your help!

Travelnut

Venice ALWAYS floods this season. The city puts up board walkways, hotels hand out boots, and you go on about your business. If you want to avoid the 'Acqua Alta' completely, you'll need to plan a visit in summer with the other bazillion tourists. Otherwise, go have your weekend and 'go with the flow' (bad pun intended).

Travelnut

Ha, here you go - posted today also:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35169898

ellenem

Her's the flood page at the commune's site:

http://www.comune.venezia.it/flex/cm.../IDPagina/1748

ellenem

The floods are based on tides and weather conditions. Not al of Venice floods, though today was a particularly high tide that flooded much of Venice. Where are you stating in Venice? Last year at this time we experienced 110cm floods and our hotel was dry.

And here's what to expect:

http://www.veniceword.com/weather.html

DalaiLlama

You won't be stuck in your room as you said you feared. Since the tides dictate the timing, together with other factors, the floods are a passing nuisance, here now, gone in a couple of hours. Elevated walkways are quickly put in place for pedestrians, hotels have boots on hand for guests, often your good shoes or booties that would be worthy of some snowfall or winter rains will suffice, the kind you should be wearing anyway. So don't let the floods stop you. Bring your camera, smile, and make the most of it.

PalenQ

Yup Venice is finally sinking under the weight of tourism

meanwhile the MOSES or whatever huge gates are still being debated

sandi_travelnut

We were in Venice for 4 days over Christmas 2004. Two of the 4 days we had high water for a few hours in the early morning. It was ok the first day but on the second day we had to catch a train at a certain hour. The water rose and the vaps stopped running since it can't go under the bridges and you have to carry your luggage, instead of rolling it behind you. We had my parents with us and not only did we not all have rubber boots or platic for our shoes, but there was no way my Mom could hoist her suitcase up long enough to walk to the station. It CAN impact your trip in certain situations. The way we dealt with it was to go to the station a couple of hours early, before the vaps stopped running and just before the water rose enough to ruin my Mom's new shoes. If we had not experienced acqua alta the day before, we probably would have missed our train.

zeppole

Kyra,

If you are booked into the San Marco or Dorsoduro area, you should switch your hotel to someplace closer to the train station. It is extremely unusual for the waters to reach far "up" into the city. The reason today's floods made the news was because they were so unusual.

Northern Italy is having a violently stormy autumn. (It hailed all over the olive trees on the Riviera today). Everybody has been caught by surprise this year, day by day. And no one is predicting anything anymore.

Jean

As mentioned by ellenem, the flooding is partly caused by the tides. Maximum high tides occur at or near a new or full moon phase.

The last new moon was on Nov. 27th, and the next full moon is Dec. 12th.

We were in Venice about a month ago and experienced minor flooding on Oct. 28th (new moon) and 29th.

For people planning a trip to Venice farther into the future, here's a chart for the phases of the moon.

http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/MoonPhase.php