Coastal warning: Mini storm surges shock Rügen's bathers!

Coastal warning: Mini storm surges shock Rügen's bathers!

The northern German beaches underwent a dramatic change on Saturday, July 12th. As the Baltic Sea newspaper reported that the beach in popular holiday regions such as Rügen and Usedom was only a few meters wide and in some places had almost disappeared completely. This mini storm surge was a direct result of stormy weather and a dissipating low pressure system moving over Poland.

With a wind of force five from the southwest, Binzer Bay became particularly vulnerable to changes in water levels. Unfortunately, the dreaded rescue operations of the German Life Saving Society (DLRG) did not take place at the weekend, although the red flag was raised to warn swimmers of dangerous currents. The situation may have been local, but the German Weather Service (DWD) has nevertheless found that water levels have risen along the entire German Baltic Sea coast. They are currently showing an unusually high level for the summer months.

Rising water levels and storm surge warnings

The star reports that a more severe storm surge is expected in the coming days, with water levels up to 5 feet or more above mean high water. The Flensburg Fjord is considered a hotspot, where water levels could even climb up to 2.00 meters above normal. Environment Minister Tobias Goldschmidt has called on residents to be careful and inform themselves in good time, as the storm surge could last up to 40 hours.

But it's not just the German coasts that are affected. In Denmark, the authorities are already taking action, warning residents and holidaymakers in the south and east to leave the coastal areas by Friday morning. At the same time, the storm surge warnings mean an additional challenge for the ferry connections between Rostock and Gedser, as these also have to be canceled due to the high water level. The Danish Meteorological Institute has forecast that water levels could rise up to 2.4 meters above normal.

The story behind storm surges

A look into the past shows that the region has experienced several storm surges in the past. Again Deutschlandfunk reported, a severe storm surge in October 2023 caused massive property damage when several dikes burst. Only directly inhabited areas have so far been largely spared from storm surges, but climate change has potentially increased the likelihood of such events. Long-term observations have not yet shown a significant increase in storm surges, but global sea level rise is still forecast, which poses major challenges for the region.

The coming days will be crucial. Residents on the Baltic Sea coast and beyond must be prepared and adapt to sudden changes. It remains to be hoped that the precautionary measures taken by the authorities are sufficient to avert the potential dangers that the storm surges can bring with them.