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Baltic Sea levels are rising dramatically: flood warning for coastal towns!
Current water levels of the Baltic Sea in Greifswald and the surrounding area on June 30, 2025: flood warnings, storm surge classes and damage.
Baltic Sea levels are rising dramatically: flood warning for coastal towns!
On June 30, 2025, water levels along the Baltic Sea coast in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania will once again be a central issue for residents and visitors. The measuring stations in Wismar, Warnemünde, Althagen, Barth, Stralsund, Sassnitz and Greifswald provide current values that are issued by the flood control centers. This not only affects the water situation, but also possible warnings and emergency measures.
In Warnemünde in particular, the historical values of mean low water (MNW) are 407 cm and mean high water (MHW) are 617 cm. The highest storm surge ever recorded reached a level of 770 cm on November 13, 1872, while the lowest water level was recorded at 332 cm on October 18, 1967. Today's water level in Warnemünde remains to be seen.
Current water levels
Here is an overview of the current water levels in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania:
| Location | Water level (cm) | Diff. to mean water (cm) |
| Zingst | 507 | 0 |
| Bodstedt | 504 | -6 |
| Ralswiek | 539 | 31 |
| Bathroom brown | 617 | -4 |
| Stralsund | 241 | -6 |
Further measurements from the region show that some locations such as Schwerin have water levels of up to 421 cm, while other points, such as Schönberg, have water levels of only 25 cm. These discrepancies illustrate how dynamic water levels can be in this region.
Storm surges and their effects
With regard to the storm surges on the German Baltic Sea coast, there are various classifications that are crucial in the event of a flood. While a normal storm surge is between 1.00 m and 1.25 m above the mean water level, severe storm surges can reach values of over 1.50 m. The last severe storm surge in October 2024 caused damage amounting to 56 million euros. The city of Sassnitz in particular has a high need for financial resources to restore the infrastructure: around 42 million euros are needed to restore the damage, plus 6 million to compensate for sand loss on beaches and dunes through artificial nourishment.
Last season, 13 storm surges were recorded on the German North Sea coast. In some cases these rose up to 978 cm above normal levels and caused significant damage in many places. The responsible authorities appeal to the population to regularly consult the warning channels in order to be informed in good time. This happens via radio, television, sound trucks and even social media. Baltic Sea newspaper and Level portal MV provide current information.
Overall, it remains crucial for coastal residents to keep an eye on water levels and, ideally, to rely on police and fire brigade support in the event of a disaster. With a good knack for gathering information, people can better prepare for the unexpected whims of the water, so that “there’s something going on” doesn’t even have to happen.