Garðabær

A vegetation fire near Elliðavatn burned about 32 hectares, and firefighters said rough terrain and strong winds made suppression difficult. Authorities warned that dry, frost-damaged grass (sinu) and continued dry weather could keep wildfire risk elevated into spring.

Firefighters in Iceland’s Capital Region were close to putting out a vegetation fire at Elliðavatn when they received a report of another fire along Krýsuvíkurleið; a third fire also broke out in Vallarhverfi, Hafnarfjörður, and was extinguished.

Particulate (PM) air pollution across Iceland’s Capital Region is reported to be well above health-protection limits, with air quality in some areas classified as unhealthy.

Reykjavík is experiencing particulate air pollution well above health limits during calm weather, but authorities cannot apply dust suppressant because none is available in Iceland. Officials advise sensitive groups to consider staying indoors and to avoid strenuous outdoor activity near busy roads.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) was confirmed in samples from two wild birds found in the Reykjavík capital area of Iceland. Authorities urge poultry and bird owners to strengthen biosecurity and ask the public to report sick or dead birds.

Residents near Selfoss, Iceland reported an unusually vivid, colorful aurora display on the evening of 10 January 2026, captured on video. An Icelandic science communicator attributed the strong aurora to a solar eruption and favorable solar-wind magnetic conditions, with more activity possible later that night.

No snow was measured in Reykjavík during January 2026, making the month completely snow-free. A meteorologist says such conditions are very rare, with only a few comparable winters noted in historical records.

Reykjavík’s Health Inspection warns of high particulate matter near major roads in Reykjavík and Kópavogur during calm, dry weather, advising children, older adults, and people with respiratory illness to avoid busy roads and for the public to use alternatives to private cars.

A vivid red aurora was photographed over Selfoss around 2 a.m., a rare display caused by oxygen emissions high in the atmosphere. Photos also showed green fringes, with purple and pink hues possible when nitrogen is involved.

Most domestic flights in Iceland were canceled due to weather, affecting about 700 passengers. Icelandair cited strong winds aloft causing turbulence and icing; only early flights to Akureyri and Bíldudalur operated, with conditions expected to improve by tonight or tomorrow.

Iceland experienced intense cold overnight, with -19.8°C recorded at Sandskeið around 6 a.m., and meteorologist Einar Sveinbjörnsson says it is likely the coldest 30 October on record. Reykjavík dropped to just over -8°C, and an Icelandic Met Office table showed -20.2°C at Setur south of Hofsjökull overnight.

Reykjavík recorded 27 cm of snow at 9:00 on October 28, likely the deepest October snow on record, surpassing the previous 15 cm set in 1921. Heavy snowfall and poor visibility were forecast on the Suðurnes/Reykjanesbraut corridor with 50–75 mm precipitation expected.

Heavy snowfall on Southwest Iceland has led the Icelandic Meteorological Office to raise the regional avalanche forecast to orange (considerable). People in the Reykjavík area are urged to avoid slopes steeper than 30 degrees, especially SW-facing slopes where wind slabs may form.

A mosquito species, Culiseta annulata, has been confirmed in Iceland after specimens of both sexes were captured in Kjósarhreppur on October 16–18, 2025. The find suggests mosquitoes may now be present in the country, long considered free of them.

Reykjavík fire department responded to 18 water damage calls over two hours during heavy rain, including flooding in the basement of the Kjarvalsstaðir art museum.

Over 400 lightning strikes were recorded in a powerful thunderstorm across southwest Iceland, with roughly half on land and heavy rainfall of 10–15 mm per hour.

The snow patch at Gunnlaugsskarð in Esja melted out by early August 2025, marking one of the earliest disappearances on record, previously only in July of 1941 and 2010.

A rare basking shark was spotted during an Elding whale watching tour in Faxaflói Bay, marking its first appearance in the bay in five years according to the company.

A whale carcass washed ashore just outside the settlement of Vogar on the Vatnsleysuströnd coast this afternoon. A marine biologist suggests that altered fish migration patterns, a consequence of climate change, are likely responsible for the higher number of strandings observed.

Many residents sought medical attention for respiratory discomfort and eye irritation caused by volcanic smog and air pollution lingering over Reykjavík and nearby areas.