Record temperatures: North and Baltic Sea start the bathing season with heat wave!

Record temperatures: North and Baltic Sea start the bathing season with heat wave!

The bathing season on the German beaches is officially opened and this year the North and Baltic Sea presents itself in an unusual light. Researchers have measured record temperatures on the water surface, which should not only delight the beach vacationers, but also raise concerns about climatic changes. According to a report by Welt , the water temperatures in spring 2025 are strikingly high compared to previous years. Experts speak of "clear outliers".

In the period from March to May 2025, the North Sea recorded an average temperature of 8.7 degrees Celsius - the highest value since the beginning of the evaluations in 1997 by the Federal Office for Sea shipping and hydrography (BSH). This corresponds to an increase of 0.9 degrees above the long -term mean from 1997 to 2021. A look at the geographical differences shows that the eastern North Sea off Norway and Denmark in particular was particularly affected by up to 2 degrees above average. In the Baltic Sea, too, the average temperature was 5 degrees above the long -term means - a clear indication of the heating of the waters.

a heat record in the water

A marine heat wave was registered in Kiel, which has been the longest since 1989 at 55 days. This heat wave, in which the temperatures were in the highest 10 percent of the over 30 years of the values ​​measured for at least five days, turned the previous measurements upside down. From the end of March to May, the water temperatures were 2.6 degrees above the average of the past three decades, with a maximum value that was even 4.3 degrees above average. According to ndr this is a situation that has been observed since February 2024 the North Sea is continuously too warm.

These developments are not only of interest in bathing mixes; You have far -reaching effects on the Marine Environment. The Baltic Sea has increased increasingly in recent years, which is related to climate change and the greenhouse effect. Another problem is that there is fewer ice cream, which accelerates the warming. A report by Environmental Federal Agency shows that increasing temperatures can lead to less oxygen in the water, which has negative consequences for the marine living being.

The consequences for the sea creatures

With the higher temperatures, there is also an accelerated growth of mini-algae, which reduce the light into deeper layers of water and thus affect the living conditions for the Marine Flora and Fauna. The decline of larger types of algae such as bladdering further exacerbates the situation and has a negative impact on fish and other marine animals. This even means that the spawning times of the herring are shifted and the survival rate of the young animals suffers.

The combination of warming and over -fertilization also has an impact on fish stocks such as the cod. In the short term, the warming does not seem to be able to be stopped, but the experts recommend reducing greenhouse gases to mitigate the consequences to the marine ecosystems. Even fewer fertilizers in the sea could have a positive effect and support the recovery of marine habitats.

All of these factors make it clear that the marine ecosystems, which cover 71 percent of the earth's surface, are of crucial importance not only as a holder of 230,000 species, but also as regulating instances of the climate. The pressure on these sensitive habitats is growing steadily, and the current developments not only let alarm bells ring, but also require a timely action to avert further damage.