Easter weather is looking bright across Iceland
Calm weather is forecast across the country for Easter. Photo/Guðni Valberg
Good news for those planning to travel or spend time outdoors this Easter: the weather forecast for the holiday weekend looks promising across most of the country. Sunshine is expected to shine over much of Iceland, with temperatures hovering just above freezing in many areas.
“The weather over the Easter weekend will be quite good overall,” says Marcel de Vries, meteorologist at the Icelandic Meteorological Office, in an interview with mbl.is. “It will be windy in the north today, but bright and dry in the south. Precipitation in the north should taper off in the morning, followed by calmer winds. There's a strong northwesterly wind in the southeast corner at the moment, but that should subside by tomorrow evening.”
Clear skies for Saturday
Saturday is shaping up to be the sunniest day of the weekend, with clear skies forecast across the country. “Wherever you look, the sun is expected to be shining,” de Vries says, although he notes that some cloud cover may linger in the north.
Cloudier for Easter Sunday and Monday
Easter Sunday will bring more clouds across the country, though temperatures will remain mild. West Iceland is expected to be the warmest region, with highs reaching up to 8°C. In contrast, parts of the northeast may still experience sub-zero temperatures.
A similar pattern is forecast for Easter Monday. Most of the country will see overcast skies, but conditions will be partly cloudy in the west. In Kirkjubæjarklaustur, temperatures may once again climb to 8°C.
Is spring on the horizon?
Looking into next week, the long-term forecast suggests a continued warming trend, especially in the southwest. Nighttime frost should ease, and daytime highs may reach double digits—just in time for the First Day of Summer next Thursday.
Still, de Vries is cautious about making any bold declarations.
“Next week, we might see 10°C during the day with no frost at night,” he says. “But it's not out of the question that there could still be some late-night frost, especially in places like Víðidalur.”
Having spent five years forecasting weather in Iceland, de Vries knows better than to make firm claims about the arrival of spring.
“Spring in Iceland has a way of coming and going,” he says. “It feels like we’re slowly creeping toward it, but I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s here—because it can always leave again.”
