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Warning from the German Weather ServiceStrong winds with squalls stall the rescue operation for whale Timmy
The expected wind speed is 55 to 70 km/h, which corresponds to wind force seven to eight. (symbol image)
Marius Bulling/dpa
This rescue operation is like a roller coaster ride!
On Monday morning (April 20th) the stranded humpback whale was able to swim freely off the Baltic Sea island of Poel. But after a few kilometers in the right direction, the animal takes a break in the morning. Because the whale moved, the rescue operation in Wismar Bay came to a standstill. Strong winds make conditions difficult for the helpers. Tomorrow the strong winds are expected to subside, but the water level is also expected to fall again.
On Tuesday weaker winds and lots of sun
In Wismar Bay, where the stranded humpback whale is located, strong winds from the northeast are expected today until the evening hours. This is what a meteorologist from the German Weather Service (DWD) said in response to a dpa request.
Reading tip: Stranded again or just a break? Drama about whale Timmy
The expected wind speed is 55 to 70 km/h, which corresponds to wind force seven to eight. “In isolated cases there can also be gusts of wind with force nine,” she explains. The DWD has issued a corresponding warning message. The wind will become weaker in the late evening hours. The temperatures are a maximum of eight to nine degrees.
The higher the water level, the better for Timmy
Wind from the northeast is still expected on Tuesday, but not as strong as today, says the DWD spokeswoman. The wind strength is expected to be below the warning level and could gust up to 40 km/h. The influence of high pressure is becoming increasingly noticeable, with many hours of sunshine and few clouds. The temperatures would be a maximum of 10 degrees.
Reading tip: Germany is worried about humpback whale Timmy – a chronology of events
According to the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH), the water level in the Bay of Lübeck is now 35 to 70 centimeters above normal altitude (NHN), and at night it is between zero and 60 centimeters higher. According to current estimates, the water level on Tuesday was between 20 centimeters below and 25 centimeters above sea level.
Reading tip: Whale fight escalates! Now a fight breaks out about Timmy
The higher the water level, the greater the chance that the whale can move under its own power. If the water level drops again, the whale's chances of getting away on its own are of course worse, said a spokeswoman for the Environment Ministry of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in Schwerin.
Sources used: dpa
