Venice as a paradigm of coastal flooding under multiple compound drivers

A significant increase in the frequency of floods in Venice over the past three decades is attributed to rising non-tidal contributions to extreme sea levels, alongside relative sea-level rise. This finding emerges from a detailed analysis of the 1872-2019 sea-level time series using spectral decomposition and multivariate copula models, which revealed the complex interplay between storm surges, tides, and long-term atmospheric forcings. While storm surges remain the primary drivers of extreme events, recurrent nuisance flooding is predominantly influenced by tides and seasonal to inter-annual oscillations. The study underscores Venice's role as a paradigm for understanding coastal flood risk under compound drivers, offering critical insights for global coastal management strategies.

Ferrarin, C., Lionello, P., Orlić, M., Raicich, F., & Salvadori, G. (2022). Venice as a paradigm of coastal flooding under multiple compound drivers. Scientific Reports, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-09652-5