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Meteorological Conditions Along The Polish Coast And Hydrodynamic 
Conditions In The Polish Part Of The Southern Baltic Sea 
Jan Malicki & Wlodzimierz Krzyminski 
Institute of Meteorology and Water Management 
Maritime Branch 
Waszyngtona 42 
81-342 Gdynia 
Abstract 
The weather conditions played main role in extension of the flood waters carrying 
contaminants over the sea surface. On turn of July and August 1997, the Institute of 
Meteorology and Water Management in Gdynia carried out both standard 
meteorological observations on land and hydrological measurements including sea 
currents during the cruise of RV Baltica. 
At the beginning of the period from 25 th of July until 10 th of August, the atmospheric 
circulation didn’t induce strong winds what caused wide spreading of river waters over 
the surface of the sea. In 27 th - 29 th of July during stormy weather the deep low caused 
increase of the wind velocity. The wind increased from 4-5°B to 7-8°B on 28 th of July 
and its direction changed to W-SW and later to SW. The highs were dominating over 
the Baltic Sea since 6 th of August. The winds 2-4°B were variable or from NE-E 
direction in that time. The changes of the wind direction and velocity are presented on 
the basis of the measurements from the coastal stations in Swinoujscie, Leba and Hel. 
Precipitation occurred at the beginning of the described period. Intense rain (17 mm - 
17 1/m 2 ) was observed in Swinoujscie area on 3rd of August only. 
The currents were measured both in the gulfs and in the open sea area (fig. 1). In the 
first case they were measured by means of the standard current instrument (SACM) at 5 
meters depth while in the open sea area the Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) 
system was used to record the flow at 10 meters depth under way. 
During the first part of the cruise, the waters were directed into the gulf in the vicinity 
of Hel peninsula, i.e. toward SE and SW, while in the central part of the Gulf of Gdansk 
the currents at 5 meters depth turned out toward East. This formed a cyclone pattern of 
the flow in the whole Gdansk Gulf, except its western part where anticyclone branch 
existed, in the area of the Slupsk Channel the currents at 10 meters depth were southern 
mainly. In the Pomeranian Bay area the currents followed the changes of the 
atmospheric circulation during the period of the measurements. The currents were weak 
before the stormy weather while their speed increased significantly after 6 th of August 
together with change of their direction from the surface to the bottom.