Very high water levels are expected on the south coast

In Denmark, there are warnings of “very dangerous weather” when sea water levels rise in the coming days. Also along the Scanian south coast, it will be difficult, perhaps even record levels, with a climax during the night between Friday and Saturday.

So far, SMHI has issued a yellow warning for high water levels along the south coast. But according to oceanographer Sofie Schöld, there is a risk of record water levels on the coastal stretch between the Öresund Bridge and Ystad.

– It will be particularly high around the Skanör-Falsterbo peninsula and then it will be a little lower towards Ystad, she says.

The levels on that stretch will be approximately 130 to 160 centimeters above normal, calculated in what is known as RH2000. The record since the beginning of the 1990s in Skanör is 154 centimeters.

– It could be a record, but we can’t say that now. We’ll just have to see Saturday morning, how the outcome will be, but it’s close to record levels in any case, says Sofie Schöld.

Increases Friday-Saturday

For some time, westerly winds have pushed a lot of water into the Baltic Sea, leading to high levels overall, and this is quite common at this time of year.

– Now the wind over the Baltic Sea has turned so that a north-easterly wind has been blowing. What has happened then is that the water from the Bothnian Sea has been pushed down into the Baltic Sea.

From Friday to Saturday, the wind will increase in strength and it will be a more direct onshore wind. Then the water levels rise further, mostly in the south.

– It is pushed down in the southern parts of the Baltic Sea and there it is stopped up a bit through the Öresund and the belts. It rises further for that reason, because it is not as easy for the water to rush out again, says Sofie Schöld.