BERLIN, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- Several ferry connections have been cancelled in Germany on Tuesday in anticipation of a storm surge which could bring powerful winds and choppy seas to the country's North Coast.
According to the German Meteorological Service (DWD), offshoots of the storm will make landfall in the state of Schleswig-Holstein in the course of Tuesday.
Along the coast line, the German meteorologists expect record wind gusts with a speed of up to 106 kilometers per hour which will sweep across the landscape until well into the evening.
As a consequence, authorities in the most affected North Sea states are preparing for a storm tide which could cause water levels to rise 1.5 meters above their usual daily average, according to the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency. In the major regional city of Hamburg, the tide will most likely reach its highest level around 4 p.m. local time (CET).
The DWD noted that even further inland in Germany, wind strengths of up to 65 kilometers per hour are possible.
The German National Railway Company is preparing for disruptions to its travel schedule and is "monitoring the current weather development intensely." A spokesperson told press that staff levels had been increased at affected locations together with the availability of repairs workers and vehicles.
