Storm on the North Sea coast: some island ferries canceled
An autumn storm and higher water levels in the North Sea are disrupting the timetables of ferries to several East Frisian islands. Ferry companies for the islands of Langeoog, Spiekeroog and Wangerooge already announced the first changes on Thursday. Many departures are being canceled for Friday due to the storm. Ferry services to and from Wangerooge and Spiekeroog are to be completely suspended.
"The wind will remain strong, especially in East Frisia and on Heligoland," said Karsten Kürbis, meteorologist at the German Weather Service (DWD), in Hamburg with a view to Friday. During the day, gale-force 11 gusts with wind speeds of up to 110 kilometers per hour are possible on the North Sea coast. Inland, the wind is expected to blow less strongly.
In Lower Saxony, experts from the State Agency for Water Management, Coastal Defence and Nature Conservation are expecting smaller storm surges on Thursday and Friday as a result of the strong north-westerly winds. For example, the high tide on Friday morning was expected to be up to three quarters of a meter higher than the mean high tide.
On Thursday, there were already gale-force 9 winds on the North Sea coast with wind speeds of up to 85 kilometers per hour. "That's a normal autumn storm," said Kürbis. On the Brocken, the highest mountain in northern Germany, hurricane-force 11 gusts of wind were measured on Thursday, according to the DWD. The narrow-gauge railroads therefore canceled trips between Schierke and the Brocken.
There will also be a "first wintry interlude" in the Harz Mountains on Friday night, said meteorologist Kürbis. The snow line is expected to drop to around 600 meters and a few centimeters of fresh snow will fall.
Due to the intense storm and high water levels in the North Sea, shipping to the islands of Langeoog, Spiekeroog, and Wangerooge has been significantly affected. Ferry services to and from Wangerooge and Spiekeroog are scheduled to halt completely on Friday.
The strong winds from the storm could potentially pose challenges to navigation, putting some island ferries at risk of being impacted by the floods caused by the high tides.
Source: www.dpa.com
