Live from the harbour
Tides at Varel Harbour
Ebb and flood set the rhythm at Varel Harbour and across the Jade Bay. Here you find the currently measured high and low water times, the live water level, plus weather and sun times for the days ahead — updated hourly from official sources.
Current level · WHV Alter Vorhafen
611 cm above datum
Trend: rising (flood)
cm above datum = water level above the gauge’s fixed zero point (Pegelnullpunkt). Rising values mean flood, falling values mean ebb.
Observed high & low water times
Reference Wilhelmshaven: The times shown are measured turning points from the nearest official Jade gauge, WHV Alter Vorhafen (13 km). Varel Harbour sits deep in the southern Jade Bay — high and low water arrive there roughly 15 to 30 minutes later than in Wilhelmshaven.
For binding mudflat trip planning, please use the official BSH tide tables.
Weather & sun times — 7 days
| Day | Weather | Temp. | Wind | Rain | ☀️ rise/set |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 05/07 | 🌦️ showers | 14–19 °C | 9 kn | 70% | 07:07 / 23:56 |
| Mon 06/07 | 🌦️ showers | 13–18 °C | 10 kn | 63% | 07:07 / 23:56 |
| Tue 07/07 | 🌧️ light rain | 16–20 °C | 12 kn | 43% | 07:08 / 23:55 |
| Wed 08/07 | ☁️ overcast | 15–21 °C | 9 kn | 4% | 07:10 / 23:54 |
| Thu 09/07 | ☁️ overcast | 16–23 °C | 7 kn | 0% | 07:11 / 23:54 |
| Fri 10/07 | 🌫️ fog | 14–23 °C | 6 kn | 0% | 07:12 / 23:53 |
| Sat 11/07 | 🌤️ mostly clear | 17–28 °C | 12 kn | 2% | 07:13 / 23:52 |
Understanding the tides in the Jade Bay
The Jade Bay is a shallow inlet of the North Sea and part of the UNESCO World Heritage Wadden Sea. Twice a day the water floods in and ebbs out, in a semi-diurnal rhythm of about 12 hours and 25 minutes, so roughly six hours pass between high and low water. Because the moon rises a little later each day, the tides also shift back by almost an hour every day. The times above come from the nearest official gauge and reflect the real course at the Jade Bay.
Frequently asked questions
When is low and high tide at Varel Harbour?
Varel Harbour and the Jade Bay have semi-diurnal tides: roughly two high and two low waters per day, in a rhythm of about 12 hours and 25 minutes. The observed times at the top of this page come from the nearest official gauge at Wilhelmshaven (Alter Vorhafen). Because Varel Harbour lies deep in the southern Jade Bay, the tide arrives there roughly 15 to 30 minutes later than in Wilhelmshaven. For binding trip planning, please use the official BSH tide tables.
Where does the tide data come from?
Water levels come live from the official WHV Alter Vorhafen gauge of the German Waterways Administration (Pegelonline WSV), the nearest Jade tide station. The times shown are measured turning points, not a forecast. Weather and sun times are provided by Open-Meteo.
Can you go mudflat hiking at Varel Harbour?
Mudflat (Wadden Sea) hikes usually start from Dangast and Eckwarderhörne, a few kilometres away. Only enter the Wadden Sea on a falling tide, with enough time before the next high water, and ideally with a local guide — the Wadden Sea is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the tide can turn quickly.
North Sea holiday at Varel Harbour
Experience ebb and flood right on your doorstep — in our holiday apartments and tiny houses at the historic Varel Harbour.