Weatherman Gerrit Hiemstra from Balk presented the weather for the last time at the NOS on Thursday. Fortunately, he was able to treat the viewers of the eight o’clock news to sunny prospects. “You will only announce three days of rain on your last day.”
“This was it, my last weather report for the NOS Journaal,” said Gerrit Hiemstra (62) after his last performance as weatherman at the public call. “I’ve been doing it for almost 25 years and a lot has changed in that time.” But the weather itself has also changed significantly, he warned. “And that will change even further with climate change.”
Hiemstra is not retiring, but wants to contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions with his new company Oars. As an entrepreneur, he will be involved in biobased construction.
A temperature of 40 degrees
The Balkster weatherman made his debut with the NOS in 1998. He always found it very honorable to present the weather and did it with great pleasure. “Many thanks to all colleagues in front of and behind the scenes. Without them I wouldn’t have been able to do it for so long.”
The news looked back on Hiemstra’s long career with a video: skating, presenting the weather report in verse form and announcing a temperature of 40 degrees in the Netherlands. The weatherman ended his performance soberly: “I wish you all the best.”
Poem from Groningen
Hiemstra received his own storm as a farewell gift from the NOS and the KNMI. Names of storms are assigned in alphabetical order in a European context. When it is G’s turn, the storm is named Gerrit.
The poem that Hiemstra (partly) recited during his weather forecast was written by students from Groningen. Watch that entire segment from the June 10, 2013 broadcast below: