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6.9 November 1988 
Meteorological situation 
At the end of November, 1988, numerous cyclones moved from the North Atlantic across 
Scandinavia and the Baltic Sea. On 28 November at about 06 UTC, a large cyclone off 
Scotland with an atmospheric pressure of 992 hPa in its centre deepened quickly and moved 
east-southeastwards. By 29 November, 06 UTC, the low had reached southern Scandinavia 
and, at 18 UTC on the same day, it reached Lithuania with a pressure of 969 hPa in the 
centre of the depression (Fig. 6.9.1.). The low-pressure system was accompanied by an 
occluded front with sharply veering winds. On 29 November, after the occluded front had 
crossed first the western and southern Baltic Sea and then the southeastern basins, the 
initially S-W gale-force winds of 7-9 Bft rapidly veered NW-N . However, the zone of the 
steepest gradient moved gradually westwards, so that the strongest northerly storm of 8-10 
Bft first struck the eastern, central and, in the afternoon, western coasts of the Baltic Sea. 
Late on 29 November, the wind began to decrease in the central coastal areas and, early on 
30 November, in the western parts. In the morning of 30 November, the wind decreased from 
8 to 5 Bft. 
Fig. 6.9.1. Route of the low-pressure centre from 28 November, 18 UTC, to 30 November, 00 
UTC; pressure pattern and wind field over the Baltic Sea on 29 November 1988, 18 UTC 
Hydrological response of the sea level 
The water level began to rise around 09 UTC on 29 November due to a slightly onshore, 
stormy wind field (up to 10 Bft) before the occluded front that accompanied the depression, 
which had its centre southwest of Gotland. Around noon, a squall line crossed the coast. 
Disturbances of the wind field along this squall line, especially directional disturbances, 
caused oscillations of coastal water levels: between 11 and 13 UTC, Wismar first recorded a 
decrease of sea level, which at that time was hardly detectable at Sassnitz. Between 12 and 
14 UTC, it was clearly recorded in Swinoujscie and Kotobrzeg. Later, as the northerly and 
northwesterly storm established itself over the whole Baltic Sea, the rise of sea levels 
continued until culmination was reached, first in the central part of the coast and later in the 
western part. 
Culmination on 29 November was first recorded in Kotobrzeg, at 647 cm, Swinoujscie at 621 
cm, and Sassnitz at 620 cm. Characteristic features of this wind set-up were two peaks of