26 
5.3 Water temperature 
For routine validation of the operational circulation model also data from the German 
Operational Coastal Monitoring Network (MARNET), which is also operated by BSH, are 
available (Knauth et al., 1996). MARNET presently consists of 4 stations in the German 
Bight and 4 stations in the western Baltic Sea. All automated stations carry sensors 
measuring different physical or chemical parameters. The next Figures show 
comparisons of measured and predicted water temperatures in the German Bight. An 
example of a surface temperature time series is given in Figure 11. At station ‘Kiel’, the 
bias of predicted surface temperatures during a two-year period was only -0.31 °C. The 
standard deviation of differences was 0.79°C. Even better agreement between modelled 
and measured (raw data) surface water temperatures has been found at the stations 
'Ems' (0.07 ±0.51 °C)., 'Deutsche Bucht 1 (-0.07 ±0.54°C), 'Elbe' (0.33 ±0.51 °C, only 1999) 
and 'Oder Bank' (-0.59 ±0.67°C). 
MARNET Station ’Kiel’ 
Fig. 11 : Measured and predicted surface water temperatures at station 'Kiel' 
A comparison of vertical temperature profiles at the station 'Deutsche Bucht' has been 
made by Klein and Dick (1999). Figure 12 shows a time series of surface and bottom 
temperatures recorded at one station during a one-month period in summer 1999. Both 
measurements and model results clearly show the formation and degradation of 
temperature stratification, although slightly less pronounced in the model than in nature.