68 
Characteristics of the 1999/2000 ice season in the Szczecin Lagoon and Pomeranian Bay 
The 1999/2000 ice season in the coastal waters of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern was very short. 
In the first frost period, first ice formed only in Karnin during three days from 23 December (Figure 
6.3). In all other areas of Szczecin Lagoon, first ice did not form until the third frost period in the sec 
ond decade of January. Thin ice covered the near-shore areas, reaching 4 to 6 cm thickness by 26 
January (Figure 6.2). In the harbours and in the Szczecin - Swinoujscie navigation channel, very open 
to open ice up to 5 cm thickness was observed on three to six days during this period. The Pomera 
nian Bay remained completely ice-free. 
On 30 January, the whole area of Szczecin Lagoon was reported to be ice-free. 
In the winter of 1999/2000, the ice cover in the area of Szczecin Lagoon lasted from 3 to 8 days. 
During the time of ice formation, navigation in the inner parts of the Szczecin Lagoon was difficult for 
small and low-powered vessels, but otherwise the central part of the Szczecin Lagoon was nearly free 
of ice and easy to navigate during the whole ice season 1999/2000. 
Trends of Ice Conditions in the Szczecin Lagoon in the period 1929-2000 
The development of ice conditions in the Szczecin Lagoon is analysed on the basis of the data re 
ported by the Ueckermiinde station, which is located on the southern shore of Kleines Haff. The ob 
servation period starts in the winter of 1928/29 and covers the complete period up to the present, with 
only the winters of 1944/45 and 1945/46 missing. The data on the beginning and end of ice occur 
rence and on the number of days with ice up to winter 1946/47 are given in (Bliithgen, 1954). 
Table 6.2. Statistics of the ice parameters (only for winters with ice) 
Station: Ueckermiinde, Szczecin Lagoon 
Period of observations: 1928/29 - 1999/2000 (no data from the winters 44/45, 45/46) 
Number of observed winters 
70 
Number of winters with ice 
68 
Number of winters without ice 
2 
Calculations 
Beginning of ice formation 
End of ice occurrence 
(only for winters with ice) 
earliest 
median 
latest 
earliest 
median 
latest 
13.11. 
18 Dec 
23.02. 
06.12. 
9 March 
21.04. 
(1940/41) 
(1943/44) 
(1988/89) 
(1995/96) 
St. deviation 
±22 
±29 
Calculations 
Number of days with ice 
Max. ice thickness in cm 
since 46/47) 
(only for winters with ice) 
min 
mean 
max. 
min 
mean 
max. 
3 
58 
141 
1 
20 
50 
(1995/96) 
(1946/47) 
St. deviation 
±36 
± 13 
The data for all winters since 1946/47 have been taken from the observation records, which made it 
possible to include the ice thickness measurement data in the study. Table 6.2 shows the median and 
extreme ice parameters for the 70-year period, considering only winters with ice. In the very mild winters 
of 1973/74 and 1974/75, no ice formation occurred in the Kleines Haff area, where the relative frequency 
of ice occurrence normally is very high, at 97%.