from 02/12/2010 to 28/02/2011

The Phenomenon of "High Water"

How often have you seen a tide? The water level rising and lowering due to the attraction on the earth by the heavenly bodies, especially by the sun and the moon.

There are strong tides as well as soft, almost unperceivable tides. Some of them rise fast, such as those at Mont-Saint-Michel in France, others rise very slowly.

Venice too is affected by tides and the phenomenon of flooding, otherwise known as "high water", is nothing but a tide that is 80 cm higher than the marigraphic zero of Punta Salute, the historical observation station of the city.

This means that you will not run the risk to be chin-deep in water, with water at 80 cm and more from your feet.

Neither will you risk to fall into a canal because you cannot recognize the bank from the canal. High water does not last all day long, neither does it affect the whole city.

When it is over 100 cm high, the phenomenon is called "strong high tide" but less than 10% of the city is affected. Some low areas, such as Saint Mark's Square, are covered first by water, other areas instead are only covered in case of exceptionally high tides.

Venetians and visitors have always lived together with high water and have equipped themselves with planks and boots to face the phenomenon to be free to move around without any difficulties.

In the winter season, this might be a good chance to see and photograph Venice under an unusual veil of water.

For  information:
Istituzione Centro Previsioni e Segnalazioni Maree
Palazzo Cavalli, S. Marco, 4090
30124 VENEZIA
tel.: +39 041 2748787
fax: +39 041 5210378
Forecasts: tel. +39 041 2411996 maree@comune.venezia.it