52 
Fig. 6.14.1. Route of the depression from 00 UTC on 7 April to 00 UTC on 10 April 1995; 
pressure pattern and wind field over the Baltic Sea on 8 April 1995, 06 UTC 
The steep gradient weakened only slowly in the course of 9 April as the low was slowly filling 
within 24 hours, from 03 UTC on 8 April to 03 UTC on 9 April, while it retreated to Lithuania, 
northeastern Poland and Western Bielorussia, from where its path backed NE - N. In the late 
hours of 9 April, the low was still well recognisable near Lake Ladoga (993 hPa), from where 
it travelled north-northwest across Finland. During its retreat, the depression left an 
elongated trough, so that the isobars over the Baltic Sea retained their north-south direction. 
As the above pressure pattern developed on 7 April, the wind, which initially had been 
blowing from westerly directions with 5-7 Bft and later SW with 6-8 Bft, veered W - NW in the 
afternoon (in the eastern and central areas at first) and increased to 7-9 Bft. On 8 April, 
northerly and northwesterly winds continued to blow over the western, southern and 
southeastern Baltic Sea, whereas over the central and northern Baltic N - NE wind directions 
prevailed. The wind speed in the area varied between 7 and 9 Bft, reaching 10 Bft in gusts. 
The wind did not begin to abate until the late hours of 8 April, when the storm centre moved 
slowly towards Bielorussia. 
Hydrological response of the sea level 
The surge generated by the meteorological situation described above overlapped the already 
comparatively high (520-540 cm) water levels on the coasts. The surge rose relatively 
uniformly, beginning in the central area of the coast, but culmination was reached nearly 
simultaneously (about 17 UTC on 8 April) on the entire coast. Maximum water levels ranged 
from 608 cm in Sassnitz to 629 cm in Wismar. The mean rate of increase slightly exceeded 6 
cm/h in Wismar and Warnemünde, and 3 cm/h in Swinoujscie and Kotobrzeg (Fig. 6.14.2.). 
The high water levels persisted for a long time: the warning levels were maintained for 12-25 
hours. 
In relation to the reference level indicator (541 cm on 7 April), the surge lasted from 27 hours 
in Wismar and Warnemünde to 54 hours in Kotobrzeg.