Reykjavík

We've become very used to seismic activity in Iceland's southwest corner, but last night, four earthquakes above magnitude three hit a very different area - the Kolbeinsey ridge, far off the country's northern coast.

A new fissure eruption on Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula, the third since December, began without posing immediate danger to populated areas or infrastructure.

The Grindavík eruptions began on January 13, 2024, in the Southern Peninsula of Iceland.

A volcanic eruption began near Hagafell mountain on the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland at 10:17 pm, following an M4.2 earthquake, with local authorities seeking to determine its impact.

An emergency phase has been declared and the town of Grindavík in Iceland has been evacuated due to increased volcanic activity and damage from earthquakes, with residents being urged to seek safety in emergency relief centers.

Despite the very strong activity, widely felt throughout Reykjanes Peninsula as well as the capital area and beyond, there remains no sign of any volcanic eruption.

Stormy conditions in the southwestern and western parts of the country saw residents experiencing thunder and lightning yesterday. Eysteinn Örn Stefánsson captured a video of lightning that struck Mosfellsbær, which can be seen in the player above.

A man biking to work in Iceland this morning was unexpectedly accompanied by a walrus on his commute. Walruses are not native to Iceland.

May 2023 in Reykjavik, Iceland has been a month of gloom and rain, with a chance of breaking a 70-year-old "sunless" record and becoming the "least sunniest" fifth month of the year since measurements began, as well as potentially breaking the record for the rainiest May on record.

Capital area residents in Iceland opened their eyes to 10 cm (3.9 in) of snow outside the window on April 27th. In the last 75 years, there have only been 4 instances of this much snow falling in the Reykjavík area in the second half of April.

Residents in Hafnarfjörður, a small town just outside the capital area, have rescued multiple swans that have frozen to the icy surface of Hamarkotslækur creek during a recent spate of desperately cold weather in the country, RÚV reports.

Strong winds and heavy snowfall have led to flights being delayed, trains being cancelled, and motorists told to avoid unnecessary journeys.

In an interview with RÚV, a seasoned exterminator has stated that Iceland is currently experiencing a mouse infestation the likes of which he’s never seen. He encourages people to take the necessary precautions. A 43-year career in extermination Despite their small stature, mice can be an outsized pest for homeowners.

Suspended particulates' concentration in the capital area was high today due to a sandstorm on the desert sands of South Iceland, the city of Reykjavik warned at noon.

After some well-founded speculation a week ago, reported on in some media, the Met Office has now confirmed that this March was the wettest on record in Reykjavík--and the winter overall saw the most precipitation ever recorded in various locations around Iceland.

All roads out of Iceland’s capital Reykjavík are closed due to extreme weather conditions, including Route 41, the road to Keflavík International Airport. A yellow weather alert is in effect across the country, with strong winds and snow showers expected to continue until tomorrow afternoon in most regions. Travel is discouraged across the country.

A large number of drivers have suffered damage to their vehicles, including tyre blow-outs, as winter weather has caused potholes to appear in roads maintained both by local councils and the road and coastal administration. Repairs are underway, but conditions are still bumpy, as heavy snow has turned to ice, and then to rushing meltwater on several occasions. Such conditions are notoriously damaging to road surfaces.

A steel-framed building was broken apart by wind in Hafnarfjörður on Friday, search & rescue teams attended over a hundred call-outs, and Hellisheiði and other important roads were closed once more. February was one of the coldest and windiest for many years.

A winter storm caused power outages and property damage across Iceland. Winds reached speeds of 40 meters per second (89 mph) in the Southwest region, though precipitation was less than forecasted. See related article: A total of ten waves of 25 meters high and four waves over 30 meters high were recorded. A 40 m wave was the highest recorded since 1990.

The Road and Coastal Administration reported record-high waves at the south coast of Iceland as a severe storm swept the county.