Spotlight

Swimming and Ocean

Up-to-date beach information for the North Sea and Baltic Sea

The Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) provides a daily selection of current information for the German North Sea and Baltic Sea coasts, such as water and air temperatures, wind and swell, water level forecasts and sun and moon rise and set times. Observation data and forecasts are offered. To describe and predict the marine environment, own data from existing measuring networks, satellite recordings as well as results from powerful computer models and data from our partners are used.

The basis for the water temperature maps of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea are the recordings of the US American weather satellites. The maritime measuring network of the BSH, the weather stations of the German Weather Service as well as measuring networks for environmental monitoring in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Schleswig-Holstein provide additional data at fixed stations. The sea rescue fleet of the German Shipwreck Rescue Association and other ships report their observations, which are processed here. Forecasts for water temperature, wind and waves for the next two days provide different forecast models.

Water level forecasts are provided for the coastal locations. Unfortunately, current measurements are not yet reported from all coastal locations or the measurements are too far apart in time, so that for these locations an indication of current measured values must be dispensed with. Differences between predicted and actual values have many causes:

  • the prediction models are still too inaccurate,
  • the input values for the models (e.g. radiation/cloud cover) are faulty,
  • time and location differences between observation and model may occur.

We are pleased about every reaction, criticism and suggestion, both to the content and to the presentation. We try to include additional locations and observations in our product as needed.
We ask for your help and support in improving the product.