Baltic Sea sees record low level and post‑storm amber rush on Polish coasts

After a recent storm, amber hunters on the Polish Baltic coast reported finding unusually large pieces of amber, some half a hand‑size, sparking excitement on social media and reviving the seasonal “amber fever” in locations such as the Vistula Spit, Gdańsk Bay and nearby islands.

In the same year, the Baltic Sea reached a water level 67 cm below the norm – the lowest reading since measurements began in 1886. Strong east‑south winds pushed water through the Danish Straits, allowing a massive inflow of colder, saltier, oxygen‑rich water from the North Sea. Experts note this “great Atlantic inflow” can improve oxygen conditions but warn that warming, eutrophication and excess nutrients still favor cyanobacteria blooms, which have already caused early beach closures.

Both phenomena underline the Baltic’s vulnerability to climatic extremes and highlight how natural events quickly translate into ecological and economic impacts for Poland’s coastal communities.