18 
Negative Surges in the Southern Baltic Sea 
Annual mean sea levels at the different gauges 
are quite well correlated, with a minimum correla 
tion coefficient of 0.83 between Wismar and 
Sassnitz, and a maximum value of 0.98 between 
Swinoujscie and Kotobrzeg (see Table 3.1. b and 
3.1. c). By contrast, correlations between the 
annual minimum values at the stations are rela 
tively low, dropping to 0.25 between Wismar and 
Kotobrzeg. This low similarity is also apparent in 
Fig. 3.1. b, which shows the annual minima at all 
gauges in one Figure. Although there are several 
years with low values at all stations, some years 
(e.g. 1972) show high annual minima at Wismar 
but rather low minima at Kotobrzeg. The correla 
tion coefficients of the 240-hour, 72-hour and 
24-hour minima range between those of annual 
mean sea levels and annual minimum sea levels. 
In general, the correlation coefficient decreases 
with increasing geographical distance. Wismar 
and Warnemunde are the two stations which cor 
relate best, followed by the station pair of 
Sassnitz - Swinoujscie. 
year 
Fig. 3.1. b Annual minimum sea leveis at the Wismar, Warnemünde, Sassnitz, Swinoujscie and 
Kotobrzeg gauge stations 
Table 3.1. b Correlation coefficient between stations: lower left, annual mean sea levels; upper right, annual 240 h low 
water levels. 
Wismar 
Warnemünde 
Sassnitz 
Swinoujscie 
Kotobrzeg 
Wismar 
X 
.92 
.48 
.63 
.45 
Warnemunde 
.95 
X 
.72 
.81 
.68 
Sassnitz 
.83 
.87 
X 
.92 
.89 
Swinoujscie 
.92 
.96 
.93 
X 
.90 
Kotobrzeg 
.93 
.96 
.93 
.98 
X 
Table 3.1. c Correlation coefficient between stations: lower left, annual minimum sea levels; upper right, annual 72 h 
low water levels. 
Wismar 
Warnemünde 
Sassnitz 
Swinoujscie 
Kotobrzeg 
Wismar 
X 
.91 
.50 
.52 
.34 
Warnemunde 
.87 
X 
.73 
.74 
.60 
Sassnitz 
.71 
.77 
X 
.89 
.80 
Swinoujscie 
.59 
.69 
.80 
X 
.86 
Kotobrzeg 
.25 
.34 
.59 
.75 
X