Warm air brings unseasonably high temperatures to the Northeast
The weather map at noon. Map/mbl.is
Temperatures could reach up to 18°C in parts of northeastern Iceland today. Winds will be from the south and southwest at 5–10 m/s, increasing to 10–15 m/s in northern regions later in the day. Rain is expected at times, but it will remain mostly clear in the east and northeast. Temperatures will range between 10 and 18°C, warmest in the northeast.
Tomorrow, southwesterly winds of 5–10 m/s are forecast, increasing to 10–15 m/s in the north. There will be intermittent rain, though conditions will remain mostly bright in the east. Temperatures will range between 8 and 15°C.
Over 21°C recorded in East Iceland yesterday
Mild weather prevailed across North and Northeast Iceland yesterday. The highest temperature, 21.2°C, was measured at Bakkagerði in Borgarfjörður eystri at midday. At Sauðanesviti, west of Siglufjörður, the temperature reached 21°C at 2 a.m., while Seyðisfjörður recorded 20.8°C in the afternoon.
A high-pressure system over the British Isles is sending warm, moist air northward toward Iceland — bringing unusually mild weather to the Eastfjords. Photo/Torfi Bergsson
Meteorologist Eiríkur Örn Jóhannsson at the Icelandic Meteorological Office says that while these figures are warm for October, they’re not unprecedented.
“It’s not something we see every year, but it does happen from time to time,” he notes.
Warm air and foehn effect behind the heat
The current warmth is due to a high-pressure system over the British Isles, pushing warm, moist air northward toward Iceland.
“The moisture rains out over the southern parts of the country, and when the air descends on the leeward side of the mountains, it becomes dry and warmer,” says Jóhannsson, describing the foehn effect.
“Air that’s perhaps 10–13°C when it rises over the mountains can reach 18 to 20°C when it comes down on the other side.”
He adds that a light breeze is necessary to maintain this pattern:
“If the flow weakens, the sun alone isn’t strong enough to sustain it.”
Interestingly, not all of East Iceland experiences these conditions equally. For instance, the temperature in Eskifjörður today was only 8°C, illustrating how unevenly the warmth is distributed across the fjords.
