40

between  07  and  10  UTC.  In  Wismar  and  Warnemünde,  where  the  initially  northerly  gale  of  6-7
  Bft  developed  into  a  northeasterly  storm  of  7-8  Bft  between  09  and  13  UTC  on  9  January,
the  culmination  developed  last.  The  maximum  levels  of  611  cm  in  Wismar  and  600  cm  in
Warnemünde  were  reached  at  about  13  UTC  at  both  gauges  (Fig.  6.8.3.).
The  maximum  rate  of  increase  ranged  from  24  cm/h  in  Kotobrzeg,  recorded  between  05  and
06  UTC,  to  11  cm/h  in  Warnemünde,  recorded  at  about  00  UTC  on  9  January.  The  water
stayed  above  warning  levels  for  nearly  20  hours.  Relative  to  the  reference  level  indicator
(which  on  9  January  was  as  high  as  520  cm),  the  duration  of  this  surge  was  33  hours.
The  second  phase,  on  12-13  January,  was  characterised  by  a  slower  rise  of  sea  levels,
which  began  in  the  afternoon  of  11  January.  In  the  central  part  of  the  coast,  levels  above  the
warning  values  were  only  recorded  on  the  coasts  of  the  Pomeranian  Bight,  where  the
maxima  between  17  and  19  UTC  on  12  January  did  not  exceed  599  cm  in  Swinoujscie
(between  14  and  16  UTC),  and  614  cm  in  Sassnitz.  Sea  levels  in  the  area  began  to  fall  as
soon  as  the  zone  of  weaker  SE  veering  winds  had  reached  the  area  northwest  of  Bornholm
and  Rügen  (Fig.  6.8.2.).  The  culmination  in  Warnemünde  was  recorded  between  22  and  23
UTC  on  12  January  and  was  as  high  as  642  cm.  The  sea  level  at  Wismar  decreased  last,
where  the  maximum  of  673  cm  was  recorded  between  00  and  01  UTC  on  13  January.
Based  on  the  reference  level  indicator  (519  cm  on  11  January),  the  second  phase  of  the
surge  lasted  from  77  hours  in  Kotobrzeg  to  90  hours  in  Warnemünde.