Hamburg Weather: Between Nolde and "Tolles Wetter" – The North Remains Grim
G'day. If you thought yesterday that spring was finally getting serious, this morning set you straight. Here we go again: the Hamburg weather is showing its rough side. Right on cue for the middle of the week, a decent storm front is rolling over the city – and honestly, I've been sitting here for decades, but it's rarely been this consistently nasty. So: hat down, collar up, and best of all, crank up the right tunes.
Squalls and Showers: What's On Today
The forecasts weren't kidding. If you head out this morning, you're in for the full treatment: a thick, grey blanket, and persistent, fine showers popping up again and again. And wind. Not a gentle breeze, but gusts that whip around the buildings along the Elbe and in the higher areas – really nasty. This low-pressure system seems hell-bent on keeping us in its grip all day. Temperatures between 6 and 8 degrees – but with the wind, it feels more like December. It probably won't dry out until after sunset. That's the harsh truth.
Nolde in Hamburg: Art as the Ultimate Contrast
When the wind is whipping the rain across the Landungsbrücken outside, I know exactly where I'm heading. And this time, the escape is especially appealing: the big exhibition "Nolde in Hamburg" at the Kunsthalle. What a contrast to this miserable weather! If you know Nolde, you know this is where the rough Nordic soul meets pure explosions of colour. Nolde loved the north, but he didn't just copy the weather – he created a world of his own to counter it. A visit feels like a defiant act: outside, classic Hamburg rubbish weather; inside, flowers are blooming in the boldest colours. It doesn't get much more Hamburg than that.
- What? Nolde in Hamburg – a major retrospective
- Where? Hamburger Kunsthalle
- Why now? Because it's the perfect antidote to today's dreary, drizzly weather.
"Tolles Wetter" at the CCH: The Classic to Warm You Up
And then, when you get home, kick your wet shoes into the corner and pour yourself a cuppa, there's only one way to give the weather a musical serve. Udo Lindenberg. Who doesn't remember the recording of "Tolles Wetter (Live At CCH Hamburg, Germany / 1979)"? That very track, that moment at the Congress Center Hamburg, when Udo connected with the Hamburg crowd with that song. It wasn't just a show – it was a statement. The lyrics perfectly capture that quintessential Hamburg spirit: it's raining, it's storming, but we're not letting it ruin our mood. "Tolles Wetter" is, for me, the unofficial anthem for days like this. When Udo was on stage back then, everyone in the hall was instantly on his side. You can almost picture it: the wind battering the windows of the CCH, the lights flickering inside.
The Soundtrack for a Dreadful Wednesday
So, dear Hamburgers, here's my little, completely subjective list of what helps today:
- Morning: Thick jacket, umbrella – even if it turns inside out straight away, it's the thought that counts.
- Noon: Head into the Kunsthalle, check out Nolde. Soak up some colour.
- Evening: Put your feet up, tea or a crisp pilsner, and turn up the stereo. "Tolles Wetter" by Udo, live from the CCH, at full blast.
The wind will stick around for a while, same with the rain. But with the right attitude – and knowing we live in a city that produces artists like Nolde and musicians like Udo – the weather is just a footnote. Let's tough it out. And don't forget your brolly – if only out of principle.