Editing Sylt (section)

== Geography ==
[[File:SyltSat.jpg|thumb|left|Satellite image of Sylt]]
[[File:Söl-Sylt-Sild.png|thumb|left|Map of Sylt (North Frisian, German and Danish place names)]]
With {{convert|99.14|km²|sqmi|2|abbr=off}}, Sylt is the fourth-largest [[Islands of Germany|German island]] and the largest German island in the [[North Sea]]. Sylt is located from {{convert|9|to(-)|16|km|mi|0|abbr=off}} off the mainland, to which it is connected by the [[Hindenburgdamm]]. Southeast of Sylt are the islands of [[Föhr]] and [[Amrum]], to the north lies the [[Denmark|Danish]] island of [[Rømø]]. The island of Sylt extends for {{convert|38|km|0|abbr=off}} in a north–south direction. At its northern point at [[Königshafen]], it is only {{convert|320|m|ft|0|abbr=off}} wide. Its greatest width, from the town of Westerland in the west to the eastern ''Nössespitze'' near [[Morsum]], measures {{convert|12.6|km|mi|1|abbr=off}}. On the western and northwestern shore, there is a {{convert|40|km|0|abbr=off|adj=mid|-long}} sandy beach. To the east of Sylt, is the [[Wadden Sea]], which belongs to the [[Wadden Sea National Parks|Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park]] and mostly falls dry during low [[tide]].

The island's shape has constantly shifted over time, a process which is still ongoing today. The northern and southern [[Spit (landform)|spits]] of Sylt are exclusively made up of infertile sand deposits, while the central part with the municipalities of [[Westerland, Germany|Westerland]], [[Wenningstedt-Braderup]] and [[Sylt-Ost]] consists of a [[geest]]land core, which becomes apparent in the form of the Red Cliff of Wenningstedt. The geestland facing the Wadden Sea gradually turns into fertile [[marshland]] around Sylt-Ost. Sylt has only been an island since the ''[[Grote Mandrenke]]'' flood of 1362.<ref name="TU Berlin">{{cite web |url=http://www2.tu-berlin.de/~kehl/project/lv-twk/002-sylt.htm |title=Entstehung der Insel Sylt im Laufe von 700 Jahren |author=Kehl, H. |publisher=Institute of Ecology, [[Technische Universität Berlin]] |language=de |access-date=28 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081228020854/http://www2.tu-berlin.de/~kehl/project/lv-twk/002-sylt.htm |archive-date=28 December 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The so-called ''Uwe-Düne'' (Uwe Dune) is the island's highest elevation with {{convert|52.5|m|ft|1|abbr=off}} [[above sea level]].

The island in its current form has only existed for about 400 years. Like the mainland [[geest]]land, it was formed of [[moraine]]s from the older [[Quaternary glaciation|ice ages]], thus being made up of a [[till]] core, which is now apparent in the island's west and centre by the cliff, dunes and beach. This sandy core began to [[erosion|erode]] as it was exposed to a strong current along the island's steep basement when the sea level rose 8000 years ago. During the process, [[sediment]]s were accumulated north and south of the island. The west coast, which was originally situated {{convert|10|km|mi|0|abbr=off}} off today's shore, was thus gradually moved eastward, while at the same time the island began to extend to the north and south. After the ice ages, marshland began to form around this geestland core.

In 1141, Sylt is recorded as an island, yet before the ''[[Grote Mandrenke]]'' flood it belonged to a landscape cut by [[tidal creek]]s and, at least during low tide, it could be reached on foot.<ref name="TU Berlin" /> It is only since this flood that the creation of a [[spit (landform)|spit]] from sediments began to form the current characteristic shape of Sylt. It is the northern and southern edges of Sylt which were, and still are, the subject of greatest change. For example, Listland was separated from the rest of the island in the 14th century and from the later 17th century onwards the ''Königshafen'' (King's Harbour) began to silt up as the "elbow" spit began to form.<ref name="geomar">{{cite web |url=http://www.iczm.de/geomarab.pdf |title=Klimaänderung und Küste – Fallstudie Sylt |language=de |author1=Thiede, J |author2=K. Ahrendt |year=2000 |publisher=GEOMAR, [[University of Kiel]] |access-date=28 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071006050257/http://www.iczm.de/geomarab.pdf |archive-date=6 October 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In addition to the constant loss of land, the inhabitants during the [[Little Ice Age]] were constrained by sand drift. Dunes shifting to the east threatened settlements and arable land and had to be stopped by the planting of [[marram grass]] in the 18th century. Consequently, though, material breaking off the island was increasingly washed away and the island's extent continued to decrease.

Records of the annual [[land loss]] exist since 1870. According to them, Sylt lost an annual {{convert|0.4|m|in|0|abbr=off}} of land in the north and {{convert|0.7|m|in|0|abbr=off}} in the south from 1870 to 1951. From 1951 to 1984, the rate increased to {{convert|0.9|and|1.4|m|in|0|abbr=off}} respectively, while shorelines at the island's very edges at Hörnum and List are even more affected.<ref>{{cite book |title=Umweltatlas Wattenmeer (Wadden Sea environmental Atlas) |editor=Landesamt für den Nationalpark Schleswig-Holsteinisches Wattenmeer, Umweltbundesamt |volume=I – Nordfriesisches und Dithmarscher Wattenmeer |location=Stuttgart |year=1998 |page=38 |language=de}}</ref>

Severe storm surges of the last decades have repeatedly endangered Sylt to the point of breaking in two, e.g. Hörnum was temporarily cut off from the island in 1962. Part of the island near Rantum which is only 500&nbsp;metres (yards) wide is especially threatened.

[[File:2002-07 Sylt - Groyne.jpg|thumb|An armoured concrete groyne at Westerland]]
[[File:Sylt fg01.jpg|thumb|Concrete tetrapods in Westerland]]
[[File:Kliffende, Island Sylt, 1999.jpg|thumb|[[Geotextile]] sand cushions successfully protected the historic house Kliffende on Sylt against storms, which strongly eroded the cliffs on the north and south sides of the sand cushion barrier (1999).<ref name="geo">{{Cite journal |doi=10.1088/1468-6996/16/3/034605 |title=Geosynthetics in geoenvironmental engineering |journal=Science and Technology of Advanced Materials |volume=16 |issue=3 |pages=034605 |year=2015 |last1=Müller |first1=W. W. |last2=Saathoff |first2=F. |pmc=5099829 |pmid=27877792|bibcode=2015STAdM..16c4605M }} {{Open access}}</ref>]]
[[Coastal management|Measures of protection]] against the continuous erosion date back to the early 19th century when [[groyne]]s of wooden poles were constructed. Those were built at right angles into the sea from the coast line. Later they were replaced by metal and eventually by armoured concrete groynes. The constructions did not have the desired effect of stopping the erosion caused by crossways currents. "[[Windward and leeward|Leeward]] erosion", i.e. erosion on the downwind side of the groynes prevented sustainable accumulation of sand.

In the 1960s, breaking the power of the sea was attempted by installing [[Tetrapod (structure)|tetrapods]] along the groyne bases or by putting them into the sea like groynes. The four-armed structures, built in France and many tons in weight, were too heavy for Sylt's beaches and were equally unable to prevent erosion. Therefore, they were removed from the Hörnum west beach in 2005.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.auf.uni-rostock.de/uiw/b7/Projekte/iwr_fallstudie_sylt_abschlussbericht.pdf |title=Fallstudie Sylt |publisher=[[University of Rostock]] | author=Witte, J.-O.; Kohlhase, Sören, J. Radomski, P. Fröhle |language=de |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070810121605/http://www.auf.uni-rostock.de/uiw/b7/Projekte/iwr_fallstudie_sylt_abschlussbericht.pdf |archive-date=10 August 2007}}</ref>

Since the early 1970s, the only effective means so far has been flushing sand onto the shore. [[Dredging]] vessels are used to pump a mixture of sand and water to a beach where it is spread by bulldozers. Thus storm floods would only erase the artificial accumulation of sand, while the shoreline proper remains intact and erosion is slowed down.<ref>{{cite web |title=Küstenschutz: Bisherige und zukünftige Maßnahmen |url=http://www.tu-harburg.de/wb/mitarbeiter/lieberman/veroeffentlichungen/58.pdf |author=Von Liebermann, Nicole |publisher=Hamburg University of Technology|language=de |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070611213752/http://www.tu-harburg.de/wb/mitarbeiter/lieberman/veroeffentlichungen/58.pdf |archive-date=11 June 2007}}</ref> This procedure incurs considerable costs. The required budget of an annual [[Euro|€]]10&nbsp;million is currently provided by federal German, Schleswig-Holstein state and EU funds. Since 1972, an estimated 35.5&nbsp;million cubic metres (46.4 million cu. yd.) of sand have been flushed ashore and dumped on Sylt. The measures have so far cost more than €134&nbsp;million in total, but according to scientific calculations they are sufficient to prevent further loss of land for at least three decades, so the benefits for the island's economic power and for the economically underdeveloped region in general would outweigh the costs.<ref>{{cite book |url=http://www.sterr.geographie.uni-kiel.de/Daschkeit/downloads/Daschkeit-Sterr-2005-Sylt.pdf |title=Edition Humanökologie |chapter=Küste, Ökologie und Mensch, Integriertes Küstenmanagement als Instrument nachhaltiger Entwicklung |last=Daschkeit |first=Achim |author2=Horst Sterr |editor=Bernhard Glaeser |volume=2 |publisher=Deutsche Gesellschaft für Humanökologie |access-date=28 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091127233718/http://www.sterr.geographie.uni-kiel.de/Daschkeit/downloads/Daschkeit-Sterr-2005-Sylt.pdf |archive-date=27 November 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In the 1995 study ''Klimafolgen für Mensch und Küste am Beispiel der Nordseeinsel Sylt'' (Climate impact for Man and Shores as seen on the North Sea island Sylt), it reads: ''"Hätte Sylt nicht das Image einer attraktiven Ferieninsel, gäbe es den Küstenschutz in der bestehenden Form gewiss nicht"'' (If Sylt did not have the image of an attractive holiday island, coastal management in its current form would certainly not exist).<ref>{{cite book |title=Klimafolgen für Mensch und Küste am Beispiel der Nordseeinsel Sylt |first=Achim |last=Daschkeit |author2=Peter Schottes |publisher=[[Springer Science+Business Media|Springer]] | year=2002 |language=de |isbn=978-3-540-42569-4}}</ref>

The enforcement of a natural [[reef]] off Sylt is being discussed as an alternative solution. A first experiment was conducted from 1996 to 2003.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stiftung-deutscher-kuestenschutz.de/projects/preistraeger/2004/bleck_kuenstliche_riffe.pdf |title=Funktionale Bemessung künstlicher Riffe für aktiven und sanften Küstenschutz |author=Bleck, Matthias |publisher=Stiftung deutscher Küstenschutz}}{{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> A sand drainage as being successfully used on Danish islands is not likely to work on Sylt owing to the underwater slope here.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sand auf Sylt |url=http://www.uni-kiel.de/med-klimatologie/pdftexte/sand.pdf |author=Newig, J. |publisher=University of Kiel |access-date=28 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100705061113/http://www.uni-kiel.de/med-klimatologie/pdftexte/sand.pdf |archive-date=5 July 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In parallel to the ongoing sand flushing, the deliberate demolition of groynes has begun amid great effort at certain beach sections where they were proven largely ineffective. This measure also terminated the presumably most famous groyne of Sylt, ''Buhne 16'' – the namesake of the local naturist beach.

A number of experts, however, fears that Sylt will still have to face considerable losses of land until the mid 21st century. The continuous [[global warming]] is thought to result in increasing storm activity, which would result in increased land loss and, as a first impact, might mean the end of property insurance. Measurements showed that, unlike in former times, the wave energy of the sea is no longer lost offshore, today it carries its destructive effects on to the beaches proper. This will result in an annual loss of sand of {{convert|1.1|e6m3|e6yd3|abbr=off}}.<ref name="geomar" />
The dunes of the island constitute [[nature reserve]]s and may only be traversed on marked tracks. So called "wild paths" promote erosion and are not to be followed. Where vegetation is tread upon, no roots are left to hold the sand and it will be removed by wind and water.

The [[Wadden Sea]] on the east side between Sylt and the mainland has been a nature reserve and [[bird sanctuary]] since 1935 and is part of the Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park. The construction of breakwaters in this area will abate sedimentation and is used for [[land reclamation]].

Also the grazing of sheep on the sea dikes and heaths of Sylt eventually serves coastal management, since the animals keep the vegetation short and compress the soil with their hooves. Thus they help create a denser dike surface, which in case of storm surges provides less area for the waves to impact.

=== Flora and fauna ===
[[File:Flower dsc05303.jpg|thumb|''Rosa rugosa'', known as "Sylt rose" on the island]]
The [[flora]] of Sylt is shaped by the island's original sparseness. Until the mid 19th century, Sylt was an island almost completely devoid of trees except for small areas of forest and bush created by plantations. Today, one can still recognize the man-made origin of the ''Friedrichshain'' and ''Südwäldchen'' forests in Westerland where many of the trees stand in rank and file. Also, the now widespread rose ''[[Rosa rugosa]]'', known as the "Sylt rose" on the island was imported to Sylt. It originates from the [[Kamchatka]] peninsula in [[Siberia]]. The undemanding rose met ideal conditions on Sylt and spread so quickly that it is now a common sight on the island. Its proliferation is viewed critically from a biological point of view, since it threatens to displace endangered local species, especially on the heaths.<ref name="braderup">{{cite web |title=Interessantes über die Braderuper Heide |url=http://www.naturschutz-sylt.de/NSG_gebiete_heide.html |language=de |publisher=Naturschutzgemeinschaft Sylt |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217012517/http://www.naturschutz-sylt.de/NSG_gebiete_heide.html |archive-date=17 February 2012}}</ref>

The ample [[Heath (habitat)|heaths]] on the eastern side of the island provide habitats for many rare species of plants and animals which are adapted to the extreme conditions such as drought, warmth, wind. About 2,500 animal species and 150 species of plants have so far been recorded. 45% of those plants are on the [[IUCN Red List]].<ref name="braderup" /> Especially notable are the 600 species of [[butterfly|butterflies]] that live in the heaths, [[small tortoiseshell]], [[common brimstone|brimstone]], [[painted lady]] and [[Aglais io|peacock butterfly]] among them.<ref>{{cite web |title=Morsum-Kliff |url=http://www.naturschutz-sylt.de/NSG_gebiete_morsum.html |language=de |publisher=Naturschutzgemeinschaft Sylt |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217012522/http://www.naturschutz-sylt.de/NSG_gebiete_morsum.html |archive-date=17 February 2012}}</ref>

With several thousand individuals in the dune belt of Sylt, the [[natterjack toad]], endangered in Germany, has one of Germany's largest populations here. Their spawning places are wet dune slacks and shallow, short-lived pools. For a habitat they prefer sandy areas with vegetation, but the species has also been observed on the top of the Uwe Dune. The main threat for this species on Sylt is road traffic.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Die Amphibien und Reptilien Schleswig-Holsteins, Rote Liste |url=http://www.umweltdaten.landsh.de/nuis/upool/gesamt/amphibien/rl_amphibien.pdf |publisher=Schleswig-Holstein State Office for Nature and Environment |author=Klinge, Andreas |version=3rd version |language=de |year=2003 |access-date=28 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719054339/http://www.umweltdaten.landsh.de/nuis/upool/gesamt/amphibien/rl_amphibien.pdf |archive-date=19 July 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The many [[water bird]]s and other coastal avians that have their hatching grounds on Sylt or use the island for resting on their [[Migratory bird|migrations]] constitute an [[Ornithology|ornithological]] feature. There are two notable hatching areas on Sylt, the ''Königshafen'' bay with the small island [[Uthörn]] in the north and the Rantum basin in the southeast. Birds that hatch on Sylt include [[black-headed gull]], [[Arctic tern]], [[pied avocet]], [[common redshank]], [[common gull]], [[Eurasian oystercatcher|oystercatcher]], [[northern lapwing]], [[common shelduck]] and [[tufted duck]]. During the migration, Sylt is a resting spot for thousands of [[Brent goose|brent geese]] and shelducks, [[Eurasian wigeon]]s and [[common eider]]s, as well as [[bar-tailed godwit]]s, [[red knot]]s, [[dunlin]]s and [[Eurasian golden plover]]s. [[Ringed plover]], [[common snipe]], [[Ruff (bird)|ruff]] and other species are less common visitors to the island.<ref>{{cite book |first=M. |last=Lohmann |author2=K. Haarmann |title=Vogelparadiese |year=1989 |volume=1 – Norddeutschland |language=de |publisher=Paul Parey |isbn=3-490-16418-0}}</ref>

Regarding land [[mammal]]s, there is no significant difference from the neighbouring areas of mainland Nordfriesland. Primarily [[European hare]], [[European rabbit|rabbit]] and [[roe deer]] can be found and are also hunted as game on the island. When the island was connected to the mainland by the causeway, [[red fox]] and [[European badger]] also became common.

West of Sylt a breeding area of [[harbour porpoise]]s is located. In addition, great numbers of [[harbour seal]]s and [[grey seal]]s, the latter being rather uncommon in German seas, can be found on sand banks off Sylt.

Numerous associations and societies that care for the exploration and the protection of endangered animals and plants have branches on Sylt. Among them are the [[Alfred-Wegener-Institute for Polar and Marine Research]], Verein Jordsand and [[Wadden Sea Conservation Station]]. Also the Federal Office for the Environment operates a research station in the dunes at Westerland.

=== Climate ===
On Sylt, a [[marine climate]] influenced by the [[Gulf Stream]] is predominant. With an average of {{convert|2|°C|°F|abbr=on}}, winter months are slightly milder than on the mainland, summer months though, with a median of {{convert|17|°C|°F|abbr=on}}, are somewhat cooler, despite a longer sunshine period. The annual average sunshine period on Sylt is 4.4 hours per day. It is due to the low relief of the shoreline that Sylt had a total of 1,899 hours of sunshine in 2005, 180 hours above the German average.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.westerland.de/fileroot/service/download/Tourismusstatistik2005.pdf |title=Tourimusstatistik 2005 |language=de |publisher=Town of Westerland |access-date=28 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090815163342/http://www.westerland.de/fileroot/service/download/Tourismusstatistik2005.pdf |archive-date=15 August 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Clouds cannot accumulate as quickly and are generally scattered by the constant westerly or northwesterly winds.

The annual mean temperature is {{convert|8.5|°C|°F|abbr=on}}. The annually averaged wind speed measures 6.7&nbsp;m/s (15&nbsp;mph), predominantly from western directions. The annual rainfall amounts to about 650 millimetres (25½").<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.klimadiagramme.de/Deutschland/list2.html |title=List auf Sylt (climate chart) |publisher=Bernhard Mühr |date=1 June 2007 |access-date=28 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011104603/http://www.klimadiagramme.de/Deutschland/list2.html |archive-date=11 October 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Since 1937 weather data are collected at [[Deutscher Wetterdienst]]'s northernmost station on a dune near [[List, Germany|List]], which has meanwhile become automated. A number of commercial meteorological services like [[Meteomedia AG]] operate stations in List too.

Sylt features an [[oceanic climate]] that is influenced by the [[Gulf Stream]]. On average, the winter season is slightly warmer than in mainland Nordfriesland. The summer season, however, is cooler despite longer sunshine periods. The yearly average sunshine period is greater than 4.4 hours per day with some years exceeding the average sunshine for all of Germany. Also precipitation is lower than on the mainland. This is due to the low relief of Sylt's shoreline where clouds are not able to accumulate and rain off.<ref>{{cite web |title=Das Wetter auf Sylt: viel Sonne und eine frische Brise |trans-title=The Weather on Sylt: A lot of Sunshine and a fresh Breeze |language=de |work=[[Die Zeit|Zeit Reisen]] | access-date=23 October 2012 |url=http://zeitreisen.zeit.de/ratgeber/deutschland/sylt/das-wetter-auf-sylt-viel-sonne-und-eine-frische-brise}}</ref>

{{weather box
| location=[[List, Schleswig-Holstein|List]] (1961–1990 averages)
| source 1=[[Deutscher Wetterdienst|German Meteorological Service]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dwd.de/bvbw/appmanager/bvbw/dwdwwwDesktop?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=_dwdwww_menu2_leistungen_a-z_freiemetinfos&T115202758871200642573928gsbDocumentPath=Navigation%2FOeffentlichkeit%2FKlima__Umwelt%2FKlimadaten%2Fkldaten__kostenfrei%2Fausgabe__mittelwerte__akt__node.html%3F__nnn%3Dtrue |title=Frei zugängliche Klimadaten |language=de |publisher=[[Deutscher Wetterdienst|German Meteorological Service]]}}</ref>
| metric first = Yes
| single line = Yes
| Jan mean C= 1.0
| Feb mean C= 0.9
| Mar mean C= 2.7
| Apr mean C= 6.0
| May mean C= 10.8
| Jun mean C= 14.2
| Jul mean C= 15.7
| Aug mean C= 16.2
| Sep mean C= 13.9
| Oct mean C= 10.4
| Nov mean C= 6.1
| Dec mean C= 2.8
| year mean C= 
| Jan precipitation mm= 57.3
| Feb precipitation mm= 35.1
| Mar precipitation mm= 44.9
| Apr precipitation mm= 39.5
| May precipitation mm= 41.5
| Jun precipitation mm= 55.9
| Jul precipitation mm= 62.1
| Aug precipitation mm= 72.1
| Sep precipitation mm= 82.5
| Oct precipitation mm= 88.5
| Nov precipitation mm= 94.3
| Dec precipitation mm= 71.6
| year precipitation mm= 745.3
| Jan sun= 46.7
| Feb sun= 75.3
| Mar sun= 120.1
| Apr sun= 179.3
| May sun= 243
| Jun sun= 246.5
| Jul sun= 230.7
| Aug sun= 228.1
| Sep sun= 147.8
| Oct sun= 98.3
| Nov sun= 55.6
| Dec sun= 42.6
| year sun= 1714
}}

{{weather box
| metric first=yes
| location = List, (1990–2014 averages)
| source 1=WeatherOnline.co.uk<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.weatheronline.co.uk/weather/maps/city?LANG=en&PLZ=_____&PLZN=_____&WMO=10020&CONT=euro&R=160&LEVEL=162&REGION=0001&LAND=DL&MOD=tab&ART=TEM&NOREGION=1&FMM=1&FYY=1990&LMM=12&LYY=2014 |title=CLimate Robot List/Sylt |work=WeatherOnline.co.uk |access-date=17 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304054702/http://www.weatheronline.co.uk/weather/maps/city?LANG=en&PLZ=_____&PLZN=_____&WMO=10020&CONT=euro&R=160&LEVEL=162&REGION=0001&LAND=DL&MOD=tab&ART=TEM&NOREGION=1&FMM=1&FYY=1990&LMM=12&LYY=2014 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| single line = Yes
| Jan mean C = 2.3
| Feb mean C = 2.2
| Mar mean C = 4.3
| Apr mean C = 8.2
| May mean C = 12.1
| Jun mean C = 14.8
| Jul mean C = 17.7
| Aug mean C = 18.0
| Sep mean C = 15.0
| Oct mean C = 10.8
| Nov mean C = 6.5
| Dec mean C = 3.3
| year mean C = 9.6
| Jan precipitation mm= 49.9
| Feb precipitation mm= 38.4
| Mar precipitation mm= 33.5
| Apr precipitation mm= 31.1
| May precipitation mm= 37.8
| Jun precipitation mm= 47.6
| Jul precipitation mm= 54.3
| Aug precipitation mm= 84.8
| Sep precipitation mm= 77.6
| Oct precipitation mm= 85.1
| Nov precipitation mm= 69.3
| Dec precipitation mm= 61.8
| year precipitation mm= 670.8
| Jan sun= 46.74
| Feb sun= 67.1
| Mar sun= 129.2
| Apr sun= 179.5
| May sun= 221.1
| Jun sun= 209.8
| Jul sun= 215.3
| Aug sun= 189.8
| Sep sun= 137.9
| Oct sun= 97.2
| Nov sun= 51.1
| Dec sun= 42.6
| year sun= 1587.2
}}

{{weather box
| metric first=yes
| location = List, (2019-present averages)
| source 1=WeatherOnline.co.uk<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dwd.de/DE/leistungen/klimadatendeutschland/klimadatendeutschland.html?nn=540998 |title=CLimate List/Sylt |work=dwd.de |access-date=13 August 2020 }}</ref>
| single line = Yes
| Jan mean C = 6.3
| Feb mean C = 5.6
| Mar mean C = 5.6
| Apr mean C = 8.4
| May mean C = 10.6
| Jun mean C = 16.9
| Jul mean C = 15.8
| Aug mean C = 18.7
| Sep mean C = 14.9
| Oct mean C = 11.1
| Nov mean C = 6.4
| Dec mean C = 6.1
| year mean C = 
| Jan precipitation mm= 62.9
| Feb precipitation mm= 99.1
| Mar precipitation mm= 25.9
| Apr precipitation mm= 15.0
| May precipitation mm= 14.0
| Jun precipitation mm= 63.2
| Jul precipitation mm= 79.7
| Aug precipitation mm= 70.4
| Sep precipitation mm= 151.9
| Oct precipitation mm= 125.6
| Nov precipitation mm= 124.8
| Dec precipitation mm= 38.9
| year precipitation mm= 
| Jan sun= 33.6
| Feb sun= 52.6
| Mar sun= 194.3
| Apr sun= 239.2
| May sun= 268.0
| Jun sun= 277.1
| Jul sun= 187.1
| Aug sun= 250.6
| Sep sun= 153.3
| Oct sun= 101.7
| Nov sun= 30.0
| Dec sun= 38.1
| year sun= 
}}

{|style="width:100%;text-align:center;line-height:1.2em;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto" class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
|-
!Colspan=14|Climate data for Sylt
|-
!Month
!Jan
!Feb
!Mar
!Apr
!May
!Jun
!Jul
!Aug
!Sep
!Oct
!Nov
!Dec
!style="border-left-width:medium"|Year
|-
!Average sea temperature °C
|style="background:#9090FF;color:#000000;"|4.7<br />
|style="background:#8484FF;color:#000000;"|3.7<br />
|style="background:#7E7EFF;color:#000000;"|4.6<br />
|style="background:#8888FF;color:#000000;"|8.0<br />
|style="background:#9C9CFF;color:#000000;"|12.1<br />
|style="background:#B8B8FF;color:#000000;"|16.0<br />
|style="background:#D3D3FF;color:#000000;"|18.4<br />
|style="background:#DFDFFF;color:#000000;"|19.1<br />
|style="background:#DEDEFF;color:#000000;"|17.2<br />
|style="background:#D3D3FF;color:#000000;"|13.5<br />
|style="background:#C4C4FF;color:#000000;"|10.0<br />
|style="background:#A9A9FF;color:#000000;"|6.5<br />
|style="background:#B0B0FF;color:#000000;border-left-width:medium"|11.2<br />
|-
!Mean daily daylight hours
|style="background:#E2E200;color:#000000;"|8.0
|style="background:#F0F011;color:#000000;"|10.0
|style="background:#FFFF33;color:#000000;"|12.0
|style="background:#FFFF55;color:#000000;"|14.0
|style="background:#FFFF77;color:#000000;"|16.0
|style="background:#FFFF88;color:#000000;"|17.0
|style="background:#FFFF77;color:#000000;"|16.0
|style="background:#FFFF66;color:#000000;"|15.0
|style="background:#FFFF44;color:#000000;"|13.0
|style="background:#F7F722;color:#000000;"|11.0
|style="background:#E9E900;color:#000000;"|9.0
|style="background:#E2E200;color:#000000;"|8.0
|style="background:#FFFF3A;color:#000000;border-left-width:medium"|12.4
|-
!Average [[Ultraviolet index]]
|style="background:#289500;color:#000000;"|0
|style="background:#289500;color:#000000;"|1
|style="background:#289500;color:#000000;"|2
|style="background:#f7e400;color:#000000;"|4
|style="background:#f7e400;color:#000000;"|5
|style="background:#f85900;color:#000000;"|6
|style="background:#f85900;color:#000000;"|7
|style="background:#f7e400;color:#000000;"|6
|style="background:#f7e400;color:#000000;"|4
|style="background:#289500;color:#000000;"|2
|style="background:#289500;color:#000000;"|1
|style="background:#289500;color:#000000;"|0
|style="background:#f7e400;color:#000000;border-left-width:medium"|3
|-
!Colspan=14 style="background:#f8f9fa;font-weight:normal;font-size:95%;"|Source: Weather Atlas<ref name="Weather Atlas">{{cite web |url=https://www.weather-atlas.com/en/germany/sylt-climate |title=Sylt, Germany – Monthly weather forecast and Climate data |publisher=Weather Atlas |access-date=25 January 2019 }}{{Dead link|date=January 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
|}

{{notelist}}