German Coast

Germany's coastline faces two very different bodies of water. The North Sea to the north-west is macrotidal — regular tidal ranges of two to three metres, with storm surges that can add several more. The Baltic Sea to the north-east is nearly tideless, its level driven instead by wind patterns and atmospheric pressure. This visualization profiles water level monitoring stations along both coasts, making the contrast immediately visible.

Storm surges on the North Sea coast have caused catastrophic flooding historically — the 1962 Hamburg flood killed over 300 people. Modern flood defences have greatly reduced the risk, but rising sea levels mean the margin is narrowing again.

Source

Water level data: Pegel Online, Wasserstraßen- und Schifffahrtsverwaltung des Bundes (WSV).