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The climate of the coast

CoastcoastCoast is a lowland land area adjacent to the sea. The sea has a strong influence on the coastal climate and the shape of its surface. In summer, on the shores during the day it is cooler than inland (with the exception of lake districts), but the nights are warmer. In the winter, the sea gradually reflects the heat it accumulated in the summer and warms the neighboring coast, soothing the winter frosts. On the Polish coast, snow fall is the least and shortest compared to the rest of the country.

The terrain of coastal areas

The sea has a big influence on the shaping of the coast. Where the shores are high, the sea waves can destroy them, creating steep cliffscliffcliffs. They are found, for example, on the island of Wolin and in Gdynia. Characteristic are also long sandy strips of land called sandbarssandbarsandbars, located mainly in the eastern part of the coast. They arise when coastal ocean currents carry sand and deposit it along the shoreline.
Along the coast beachesbeachbeaches often stretch. Polish beaches are usually wide (they are even over 100 m) and covered with fine sand. They can also be muddy or stony. During autumn storms, the beaches are completely flooded by waves.

When the sand dries, the wind can move it. When it encounters an obstacle, such as vegetation, a sand hill arises – dunedunedune. The wind can move sand, which results in the dune gradually moving – we are dealing with a moving dune.

The formation of the cliff

The formation of the cliff

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Ilustracje prezentujące kolejne etapy powstawania klifu. Pierwsza ilustracja ukazuje wysoki brzeg morski stykający się z morzem. Druga ilustracja ukazuje podmywanie przez fale morskie wysokiego brzegu, w wyniku czego powstaje nawis skalny (overhang). Trzecia ilustracja ukazuje klif (cliff) powstały na skutek upadku nawisu skalnego. U podnóża klifu tworzy się plaża.

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Fotografia prezentuje fragment pobrzeża z plażą oraz klifami. Na klifie rosną liczne drzewa iglaste. Przed klifem rozpościera się plaża oraz widać morze.

Polish coasts

We divide the Polish Coast into three large regions.

Szczecin coast covering areas near the Odra estuary around the Szczecinski Lagoon. There are both plain landscapes of the Odra estuary and hilly areas. To this shore there are parts of the island Uznam and the entire island of Wolin, two large lakes (Dąbie and Miedwie) and many smaller ones.

Koszalińskie Coast this is the central part of the coast. Characteristic for this land are sandy beaches, coastal lakes cut off from the sea with sandbars and high moving dunes. The shores here are both high with cliffs and low with wide beaches. The largest movable dunes are found in the Słowiński National Park.

Gdansk coast is the easternmost part of the coast lying semicircular around the Gulf of Gdansk. It stretches from Cape Rozewie to the border with Russia. High tens of meters separated by valleys, long sandbars and the area around the mouth of the Vistula are sometimes characteristic here, in depressions.

Summary

• The coast is a land zone adjacent to the sea, which exerts a great influence on the climate and terrain of this part of the land.

• A wind called a breeze is characteristic for the coast.

• In Poland, the coasts are distinguished between: Szczecińskie Coast, Koszalińskie Coast and Gdańskie Coast.

Keywords

coast, beach, dunes

Glossary