Storm Joshua: Hamburg and the North Sea are fighting against storm surges!

Storm Joshua: Hamburg and the North Sea are fighting against storm surges!

In northern Germany, the storm “Joshua” is responsible for significant weather phenomena. On October 26, 2025, there was another storm surge, which caused a stir, especially in Hamburg and on the North Sea coast. The water spilled over the edge of the quay at the fish market in St. Pauli and reached a level of 1.85 meters above mean high water, exceeding the significant storm surge limit of 1.50 meters. Fortunately, there was no significant damage, even though the fish auction hall was under water on Friday evening sat1regional.de reported.

But it wasn't just Hamburg that was affected. The wind blew strongly across northern Germany, and the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) warned of storm surge heights for the North Sea coast as well. Corresponding water levels were expected, particularly on Sunday afternoon. Ferry schedules to the islands had to be adjusted due to the harsh weather and numerous services were canceled. ndr.de informs that the weather situation has affected many ferry connections to the North Sea.

Fire brigade operations and disruptions in rail traffic

The storm also caused chaos in Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein. In Bad Zwischenahn, a fallen tree blocked the tracks, which meant that a regional train had to be evacuated. 50 passengers were safely transported to Oldenburg by bus while the railway line between Leer and Oldenburg was closed for hours. The long-distance trains between Norddeich Mole and Hanover also had to be rerouted, which led to delays of up to 45 minutes. This is what our colleagues report tagesschau.de.

However, the railway problems were only part of the story. In several cities, including Hildesheim and Hanover, cemeteries, parks and zoos had to be closed. The Weser ferry in Bremerhaven was also temporarily not in operation due to the flooding. On the North Sea island of Borkum, parts of the roof of the Christ Church were lifted by the gusts of wind while emergency services on site tried to secure the situation.

A look at the upcoming weather conditions

The German Weather Service (DWD) predicts that the weather situation could remain windy in the coming days, but with a decreasing trend. The first snow has already fallen in the high altitudes of the Harz, while heavy showers and heavy rain are expected in the lower areas. sat1regional.de emphasizes that, according to the BSH, no further storm surges are in prospect for the time being.

Especially at a time like this, when the weather exerts an unpredictable force, especially on the water, it remains to be seen how the situation will develop in the next few days. The mayor of Hallig Hooge sees the weather situation as rather relaxed; after all, his experience shows that such storm situations occur three to five times a year in the Hallig region. In any case, the safety of citizens and the functionality of the infrastructure remain the top priority, even if the weather often throws a spanner in the works.