Flooding

The city has historically been very vulnerable to flooding. This is due to high rainfall, the fact that half of the city is at or below local mean sea level, poor natural drainage as the city was built on a swamp and location next to multiple bodies of water. State and federal authorities have installed levees and drainage pumps in an effort to protect the city. However, they can only work up to a point before being overwhelmed. Keep an eye on the weather before and during your stay there.