Ocena długości sezonu kąpielowego na polskim wybrzeżu Bałtyku
Assessment of the length of bathing season on the Polish Baltic Sea coast

Summary/Abstract: The assessment of temporal and spatial variability of water temperature on the Polish Baltic Sea coast was based on the values of monthly measurements of temperature of water at 6 IMGW stations (located in Świnoujście, Międzyzdroje, Kołobrzeg, Władysławowo, Hel and Gdynia) for the period of 1950–2012, during the warm season – from April to October. The mean and extreme values were calculated together with the values of correlation coefficients of temporal trend of water temperature with frequency of years in which the temperature of water was ≥17 o , ≥18 o , ≥19 o and ≥20 o C. It was assumed that for young people and those able to withstand cold, the bathing season begins on the day when water temperature is ≥15 o C, and ≥17 o C for the others. Consequently, the mean, the earliest and the latest dates of the beginning and the end, as well as the length of the bathing season were determined as for water temperature ≥15 o C and ≥17 o C. Due to increase in water temperature on the Polish Baltic Sea coast, after the year 1990 the bathing season with the recorded temperature of ≥15 o C is longer by 8 days in the area of Pomeranian Bay, approximately 10 days in the central part of the coast, and more than 15 days in the northern part, and 10–11 days in the area of Gdańsk Bay. After 1990, the bathing season as measured for temperature of water ≥17 o C, the length of the season increased by approximately 15 days in the western part of the coast, to even approximately 16–18 days in the eastern part. The most favourable conditions in the bathing season on the Polish Baltic Sea coast were reported in the area of Pomeranian Bay (from Świnoujście to Niechorze), favourable conditions were observed in the area of Gdańsk Bay (particularly in The Bay of Puck) and Ustka. The least favourable conditions were found at the coast line from Łeba to Władysławowo, and in the area of Kołobrzeg.

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