Pack ice fast approaching Iceland

Pack ice approaching Horn in 2016.

Pack ice approaching Horn in 2016. Mbl.is/ Halldór Sveinbjörnsson

 Pack ice from the Greenland strait is unusually close to the shores of Iceland due to unusual weather conditions. 

According to the Iceland Met Office the weather has been very stable which has brought the pack ice unusually close to shore, or around 12 nautical miles from Horn in the West Fjords. 

In recent years there has been relatively little pack ice North West of Iceland. 

What is unusual is that South Westerly wind continues in the same direction as the ocean currents  for a period of time. Then eventually the pack ice melts leaving single ice bergs.  

If the South Westerly direction continues until Friday it's possible that sea routes may close temporarily. 

Gera má ráð fyrir því að suðvestanáttin standi fram á föstudag og má því gera ráð fyrir því að hafísinn færist enn nær landi. Þá er mögulegt að siglingaleið við land gæti lokast.

Kort/Ingibjörg Jónsdóttir

Weather

Partly cloudy

Today

-3 °C

Clear sky

Later today

-2 °C

Clear sky

Tomorrow

-2 °C