Hamburg Weather: Between Nolde and “Tolles Wetter” – The North Stays Grim
Moin. If you thought yesterday that spring was finally making an appearance, this morning set you straight. Here we go again: The weather in Hamburg is showing its rough side. Right on cue for the middle of the week, a proper storm front is sweeping over the city – and honestly, I’ve been sitting here for decades, but it’s rarely been this consistently nasty. So: pull your beanie down, flip up your collar, and better yet, cue up the right music.
Wind Gusts and Showers: What’s Happening Today
The forecasts didn’t overdo it. If you head out this morning, you’re in for the full treatment: a thick, grey blanket, with persistent, drizzly showers on and off. And the wind. Not just a breeze, but gusts that whip around the buildings along the Elbe and in higher areas – properly fierce. This low-pressure system seems determined to keep us in its grip all day. Temperatures are hovering between 6 and 8 degrees – but with the wind, it feels more like December. Things probably won’t dry up until after sunset. That’s the cold, hard truth.
Nolde in Hamburg: Art as the Perfect Contrast
When the wind is whipping sheets of rain off the Landungsbrücken outside, I know exactly where to retreat. And this time, the escape is particularly appealing: the major exhibition “Nolde in Hamburg” at the Kunsthalle. What a contrast to this miserable weather! If you know Nolde, you’ll know: here, the rugged Nordic soul meets pure explosions of colour. Nolde loved the north, but he didn’t copy the weather – he created a world of his own to counter it. A visit there is like a defiant response: outside, it’s schietwedder (lousy weather), inside, flowers bloom in the boldest hues. It doesn’t get more Hamburg than this.
- What? Nolde in Hamburg – a major retrospective
- Where? Hamburger Kunsthalle
- Why now? Because it’s the perfect antidote to today’s gloomy, wet weather.
"Tolles Wetter" at the CCH: The Classic to Warm You Up
And when you finally get home, kick your wet shoes into the corner, and pour yourself a cuppa, there’s only one way to fight back against the weather musically. Udo Lindenberg. Who can forget the recording of "Tolles Wetter (Live At CCH Hamburg, Germany / 1979)"? Exactly that track, that moment at the Congress Center Hamburg, when Udo connected with the Hamburg audience through the song. It wasn’t just an ordinary show – it was a statement. The lyrics 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 Dreary Wednesday
So, dear Hamburg folks, here’s my small, completely subjective list of what helps today:
- Morning: A thick jacket, an umbrella – even if it gets blown inside out immediately, it’s the thought that counts.
- Noon: Head into the Kunsthalle, see the Nolde exhibition. Soak up some colour.
- Evening: Put your feet up, have some tea or a crisp pilsner, and crank up the stereo. "Tolles Wetter" by Udo, live from the CCH, at full volume.
The wind will stick around for a while, and the rain too. But with the right attitude – and the knowledge that we live in a city that produces artists like Nolde and musicians like Udo – the weather is just a footnote. Hang in there. And don’t forget your brolly – even if just on principle.