The people on the Schleswig-Holstein Baltic Sea coast have to prepare for a severe storm surge. The Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) expects water levels to be up to two meters above the average water level in the Flensburg Fjord.
In the Bay of Kiel, the water is expected to rise up to 1.3 meters above normal on Thursday evening, up to 1.5 meters on Friday night and up to 1.8 meters on Friday. In the Bay of Lübeck, the BSH expects water levels to be ten centimeters lower. There is a risk of flooding in low-lying areas such as Lübeck and Flensburg. The beaches can also be flooded and there is a risk of crashes on the cliffs due to high water levels and waves.
Note: You can find a map with the current water levels under this link on the Cross-State Flood Portal (LHP) or here on the website of the Schleswig-Holstein Ministry of the Environment.
According to the BSH, a storm surge begins on the Baltic Sea coast when the water level is one meter above normal. Above 1.25 meters it is considered a medium storm surge and above 1.5 meters it is considered a severe storm surge. If the water rises by more than two meters, this is a very severe storm surge. Unlike in the North Sea, the tidal range plays practically no role in the Baltic Sea. The water levels rise especially when storms from the east push the water against the Schleswig-Holstein coast.
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