Borgarnes

Capital area residents experienced an unexpected display of lightning followed by a powerful thunder clap as stormy conditions gripped southern Iceland.

A severe storm over the weekend battered businesses at Fiskislóð 31 in Reykjavík, with colossal waves breaching coastal defenses and flooding inland areas, leaving significant structural and economic damage.

Two individuals were swept into the sea near Akranes harbor when a large swell unexpectedly engulfed the area, dragging along cars and a pedestrian. They were rescued by emergency services, with one later transferred to a hospital in Reykjavík.

Seawater breached sea walls in Seltjarnarnes this morning causing major damage to homes and infrastructure, with emergency services working to pump out water and warnings of further flooding tonight.

Lightning struck the iconic Hallgrímskirkja Church tower in Reykjavík during a storm, with video footage capturing the event. Officials report no significant damage aside from a temporarily affected spotlight.

After Friday’s storm, the Capital Region’s Fire Department responded to an unusually high number of flood-related calls, with firefighters tackling severe flooding in homes and public areas. The incident saw approximately 25 calls for pump trucks and over 140 ambulances dispatched during the event.

New low-temperature geothermal areas have been discovered in the capital region of Iceland, potentially boosting the supply of hot water for heating and industry in Reykjavik.

Iceland's Food and Veterinary Authority has advised the public not to handle sick or dead birds due to an avian flu case (H5N5) in a seagull.

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.

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.

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.