Hamburg Weather: Between Nolde and "Tolles Wetter" – The North Remains Uninviting
Morning. If you thought yesterday that spring was finally getting serious, this morning soon put you right. Here we go again: the weather in Hamburg is showing its rough side. Right on cue for midweek, a proper storm front is sweeping over the city – and to be honest, I’ve been sitting here for decades, but it’s rarely been this persistently grim. So: hats on, collars up, and best get the right music on straight away.
Squalls and Showers: What to Expect Today
The forecasts weren’t exaggerating. If you head out this morning, you’re in for the full force of it: a thick, grey blanket, with persistent, fine drizzle coming down on and off. And wind. Not a gentle breeze, but gusts that whistle round the houses – properly nasty along the Elbe and in the higher spots. This low-pressure system seems determined to keep a grip on us all day. Temperatures between 6 and 8 degrees – but with the wind, it feels more like December. It’ll probably only dry up after sunset. That’s the bare-faced truth.
Nolde in Hamburg: Art as the Perfect Escape
When the wind whips the rain across the Landungsbrücken outside, I know where I’m heading for cover. And this time, the escape is particularly appealing: the major exhibition “Nolde in Hamburg” at the Kunsthalle. What a contrast to this filthy weather! If you know Nolde, you’ll know: here, the raw northern soul meets pure explosions of colour. Nolde loved the north, but he didn’t simply copy the weather – he set his own world against it. A visit feels like an act of defiance: outside, miserable weather; inside, flowers blooming in the boldest colours. You don’t get much more Hamburg than that.
- What? Nolde in Hamburg – a major retrospective
- Where? Hamburger Kunsthalle
- Why now? Because it’s exactly the right antidote to today’s grotty 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 take on the weather musically. 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, where Udo connects with the Hamburg audience through the song. It wasn’t just any show – it was a statement. The lyrics capture that quintessential Hamburg feeling: it’s raining, it’s storming, but we won’t let it ruin our mood. "Tolles Wetter" is, for me, the unofficial anthem for days like this. When Udo stood on stage back then, everyone in the hall was immediately on his side. You can almost picture it: the wind against the CCH’s windows, the lights flickering inside.
The Soundtrack for a Grimy Wednesday
So, dear Hamburgers, here’s my little, entirely subjective list of what helps today:
- Morning: Thick coat, umbrella – even if it immediately turns inside out, it’s the thought that counts.
- Lunchtime: Head into the Kunsthalle, look at Nolde. Soak up some colour.
- Evening: Feet up, tea or a cold pils, and crank up the sound system. "Tolles Wetter" by Udo, live from the CCH, at full volume.
The wind will be around for a while yet, and the rain too. But with the right attitude – and the awareness that we live in a city that produces artists like Nolde and musicians like Udo – the weather is just a footnote. Let’s hang on in there. And don’t forget your brolly – even if it’s just out of principle.