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The LEO Network is a worldwide network of observers and experts that share their observations of environmental change.
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Observations

Severe avian influenza detected in North Iceland
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N5) was confirmed in multiple dead gulls found at Blönduós and in a female duck found dead at Sauðárkrókur in North Iceland. Authorities urge biosecurity for poultry, public reporting of dead or sick wildlife, and caution by hunters.
Blönduós and Sauðárkrókur, Northwestern Region, Iceland
Vísir

Humpback whale beached in Eyjafjörður
A dead humpback whale washed ashore on the outer Eyjafjörður coast near the farm Áshól over the weekend. Police notified relevant agencies; the carcass will be left in place as it poses no immediate hazard.
Áshól, Eyjafjörður, Iceland
mbl.is

Harvest begins unusually early
Berry farm owners Bjarni and Hrafnhildur at Vellir in Svarfaðardal report that this year’s wild blueberry harvest has started unusually early, with three shipments already arriving for sale.
Svarfaðardalur, Northeastern Region, Iceland
mbl.is

Dozens of Pilot Whales Stranded in Ólafsfjörður
Dozens of pilot whales were stranded in Ólafsfjörður on June 21, but ICE-SAR teams managed to refloat them and guide them safely back to open water.
Ólafsfjörður, Northeastern Region, Iceland
Iceland Monitor

This is precipitation that can be expected every few decades
Unusually heavy rainfall struck northern Iceland’s town of Ólafsfjörður on 4–5 June 2025, prompting fire brigade pumping operations, minor debris flows, and continued landslide and avalanche hazards. A debris-flow specialist warns such downpours occur only once every few decades.
Ólafsfjörður, Fjallabyggð, Iceland
Vísir

Unusually Warm Current North of Iceland
A spring survey by the Icelandic Marine Research Institute recorded a sea surface temperature of 7.8 °C at Siglunes—3.2 °C above the 1991–2020 average—and found unusually warm, saline water flowing onto the northern continental shelf.
Siglunes, Northwest Iceland, Iceland
Morgunblaðið

Skagafjörður pastures severely damaged after winter flooding in Héraðsvötn
A farmer in Skagafjörður faces significant losses, having to replant around 20% of their pastures after major winter floods. Héraðsvötn breached a protective embankment, burying the fields in sand and silt.
Sauðarkrokur, Northwest, Iceland
RÚV

Concern Over Plummeting Ptarmigan Population
This breeding season for ptarmigans has been the fourth worst on record in northern Iceland, due in part to a June snowstorm.
Northern Iceland
Iceland Review

Images of Siglufjörður house damage emerge
There is considerable damage to a house on Aðalgatu in Siglufjörður after the roof came off in a storm last night. Ólöf Rún Erlendsdóttir, reporter, and Sölvi Andrason, cameraman, are in Siglufjörður and sent pictures of the damage.
Siglufjörður, Northeast, Iceland
RÚV

Humpack Salmon Spread in Iceland, Threatening Local Fish
Anglers caught dozens of humpback salmon in Eyjafjarðará river yesterday, RÚV reports. Humpack salmon are spreading in Iceland and threatening local fish species in Icelandic rivers.
Hjalteyri, Northeast, Iceland
Iceland Review

Sea Ice Unusually Close to North Iceland Coast
While north of Iceland sea ice is stretching unusually close to the coast, south of the island sea temperatures are reaching record heights.
North Coast Iceland
Iceland Review

Twenty Rescued from Ski Lift in High Winds
Twenty people were rescued from a chairlift at the Hlíðarfjall ski area outside Akureyri. The lift stalled when the wire was blown off its spool by a strong blast of wind.
Akureyri, Northeast, Iceland

Flowers bloom again in an unusually warm November
Kale is sprouting even though it's mid-November.  Eucalyptus, rock rose, and Lenten roses don’t seem to be in the mood for winter, as they still wear their summer colors of green and red. It has been warm over almost all of the country, and never in the history of the capital has been a hotter November than this year.
Akureyri, Northeast, Iceland
RÚV

Landslide Disrupts Traffic in North East
Authorities state that although landslides are not common in this area, avalanches are. An approximately 50 to 70m stretch of road is affected, covered in about one metre of mud and debris.
Grenivík, Northeast, Iceland

Akureyri bottlenose whale found dead
The death of one of the bottlenose whales that have been entertaining residents and visitors in Akureyri was confirmed this weekend.
Akureyri, Northeast, Iceland

Warmest July on record in north and east
This July was the warmest on record in nearly all of North and East Iceland. The average temperature was above 14°C at several weather stations, and no average monthly temperature in Iceland is ever known to have been higher.

Continued river warnings in north
According to police sources, flow in the region’s swollen rivers dropped slightly overnight, but that this is likely explained because the air temperature usually drops overnight. Flow is expected to increase again today.
Hjalteyri, Northeast, Iceland

Landslide Damages Two Houses in North Iceland
No one was injured in a landslide that occurred yesterday in Varmahlíð, North Iceland, though two houses sustained significant damage. Nine homes on four different streets in the town have been evacuated. The evacuation will remain in force until after the region’s local Civil Protection and Emergency Management Committee meets this morning to assess the […]
Varmahlíð, Northwest, Iceland

Coldest June night in 43 years
The temperature in Akureyri last night dropped to -1°C, the coldest night this late in June since 1978—or 43 years ago.

Avalanche Causes Damage at Siglufjörður Skiing Grounds
No one was on the grounds when the avalanche occurred early this morning, though staff noticed it when they arrived in the area, located in Skarðsdalur valley. The ski lodge was displaced from its foundation by the avalanche.
Siglufjörður, Northeast, Iceland

Snowless winter and tough year overall
The winter so far has seen very little snow in Iceland. December snowfall was well below average in both Reykjavík and Akureyri. Meteorologist Elín Björk Jónasdóttir says it has been one of the least white winters in living memory so far.

Bleeding tar makes road travel hazardous
Vegagerðin (the Road and Coastal Administration) is encouraging people to postpone journeys on Route 1 in the west and northwest of the country due to significant amounts of tar bleeding from the road surface and causing considerable danger and damage to vehicles. Clumps of tar collect and harden on the tyres of passing vehicles, making driving treacherous. Chunks fly off and have been causing some serious damage.

Frost Damage Forces Farmers to Buy Hay
Sveinbjörn Þór Sigurðsson of Búvellir farm in Aðaldalur, North Iceland says 80-90% of his hay fields were frozen in spring, and dry weather exacerbated the situation.
Near Húsavík, Northeast, Iceland

From Iceland — Beached Whale In Northwest Iceland Sparks Concern
A sperm whale beached itself in the northwest Iceland region of Skaga, the Northwest Iceland Nature Agency reports.
Skagaströnd, Northwest, Iceland
The Reykjavik Grapevine

The changing behaviour of humpback whales
There are currently fewer minke whales and more humpbacks in Icelandic waters than usual for the time of year, and some appear to be skipping the southward migration altogether.
Húsavík, Northeast, Iceland

Brand new whale behaviour caught on video
Whale watchers in Eyjafjörður, North Iceland, witnessed something new and exciting during a tour last weekend. A marine biologist describes the hunting behaviour as unique and something never before seen around Iceland.
Hjalteyri, Northeast, Iceland

100 horses confirmed dead in storm
100 dead horses have been found following the major storm that hit Iceland last week. Some are still missing and the search continues. Some horses are known to remain in danger and vets say that farmers are exhausted.
Skagafjörður, Norðurland vestra, Iceland

Buildings Disappears under Snow: "We’ve never before had snow on this scale"
The building, 30 feet to the gable, is buried in snow.
Hofsós, Northwest, Iceland
Electroverse

43,000 litres of milk went to waste in the storm
The severe storm that hit Iceland last week had a major impact on farmers—largely because of power cuts and closed roads. Dairy farmers could not milk their cows during power cuts, and they could not refrigerate the milk that had been collected before the power went off. MS Iceland Dairies received 43,000 fewer litres of milk from farms last week than the week before.

Thousands Without Power in North Iceland
A storm bringing hurricane force winds and blizzard conditions is raging across the country.
Sauðárkrókur, Northwest, Iceland

Sizable Sea-Cliff Chunk Collapses into Ocean
“I could hardly believe my eyes,” said Ingólfur Sveinsson, resident of the Skagi peninsula.
Sauðárkrókur, Northwest, Iceland

500 earthquakes recorded in northeast
An earthquake swarm that started on Saturday night just off the coast in the Öxarfjörður area of northeast Iceland is still going strong. Some 500 quakes have now been registered, including 60 over magnitude 2.0. The epicentre of most of them is around 30 kilometres west-north-west of Kópasker.
Öxarfjörður Area

Puffin changes on Arctic island
The season’s first puffins arrived on Grímsey island—the only part of Iceland to cross the Arctic Circle—a few days ago and the birds are generally arriving in Iceland significantly earlier each year than they used to.
Grímsey, Northeast, Iceland

First Puffins of the Year Arrive in Iceland
Svafar Gylfason spotted the year’s first puffin while fishing at sea near Grímsey island, North Iceland last weekend. He says the beloved bird’s appearance is a week earlier than it’s been in the past.
Grimsey, Northeast Iceland

Bad weather impacts grain harvest
Grain harvests in North Iceland this autumn do not look encouraging, farmers say. A frost in late August damaged the corn and wet weather in the autumn has delayed harvests.

Pollen Levels Well Above Average in Akureyri
According to the Icelandic Institute of Natural History, pollen levels are considerably above the average for this time of year, causing considerable irritation for those with pollen allergies.
Akureyri, Norðurland eystra, Iceland

Common Rock Crab Spreads Quickly Across Icelandic Shores
The Common Rock Crab has begun to grow rapidly in number around Icelandic shores. It was first seen in Hvalfjörður, West Iceland, in the year 2006. This summer, it has reached Eyjafjörður in North Iceland.
Hrisey, Iceland

Twenty Humpbacks Spotted in Eyjafjörður
Visitors to Eyjafjörður fjord in North Iceland could be lucky enough to meet with the spectacle of up to 20 humpback whales currently sojourning there.
Eyjafjörður, Iceland

Heat Wave in Iceland
There is an unusually warm mass of air over Iceland. Thermometers rose to rare heights in the northeastern part of the country.
Húsavík, Northeast, Iceland

Seabirds dying of malnutrition in the sea north of Iceland, changing ocean conditions to blame
Unusually high numbers of dead seabirds have been found washed ashore on the beaches of North Iceland in the past months. A biologist who spoke to the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service RÚV said malnutrition and lack of feed for the birds were the most likely explanations.
Skagaströnd, Northwest, Iceland
Icelandmag

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