27 
Hydrological response of sea levels along the coasts 
The first phase of the surge began on 24 December around midday. Sea levels rose 
gradually by an average 6 cm per hour along the entire coast. Maxima in the central part of 
the coast were reached on 25 December, between 2 and 3 UTC, with values of 562 cm in 
Kotobrzeg, 580 cm in Swinoujscie, and 561 cm in Sassnitz, whereas in the western parts of 
the coast the culmination was observed between 6 and 7 UTC, with values of 582 cm in 
Warnemunde, and 590 cm in Wismar. For 12 to 14 hours, sea levels on the entire coast 
remained 0.7-1.3 m above normal, with a much steeper rise in the western areas. 
In the night of 25 December, the impact of strong southerly and southwesterly winds with the 
resultant cyclonic disturbance caused falling water levels on the shores of the southern Baltic 
Sea, leading to relatively low water levels in the night from 25 to 26 December (levels 
ranging from 497 cm in Kotobrzeg to 445 cm in Wismar). 
Fig. 6.2.2. Sea level changes during the storm surge of December 1976 
An intensive northerly storm in the early hours of 26 December again caused water levels to 
rise sharply. Maxima were reached at about 10 UTC: 611 cm in Wismar, 593 cm in 
Warnemunde, 590 cm in Sassnitz, 605 cm in Swinoujscie, and 602 cm in Kotobrzeg. In 
Swinoujscie, a local maximum of 605 cm at 4 UTC preceded the general culmination by 
about 5 hours (Fig. 6.2.2.). 
The rise of water levels was very sharp - in just a few hours the water rose by about 1 m in 
the central part of the coast, and about 1.5 m in its western part. The maximum increase in 
the culmination phase of the surge exceeded 50 cm per hour. The mean rate of increase 
ranged from 23 cm per hour in Swinoujscie to 11 cm per hour in Sassnitz. The duration of the