Record number of weather warnings issued in Iceland this summer

This summer has seen a record number of weather warnings issued in Iceland, with 77 warnings released since the introduction of a new color-coded warning system by the Icelandic Meteorological Office in 2018. Most warnings were concentrated in the Southeast and Breiðafjörður regions, while the capital area experienced the fewest.

This year’s warnings included eight orange alerts. The month of June alone accounted for 34 warnings, predominantly yellow (26) and orange (8). Most were issued during a severe cold front affecting Northern and Eastern Iceland that month, which was followed by 13 warnings in July due to unusually wet and windy conditions.

August maintained this trend with an additional 30 warnings, particularly noting strong winds across Southern and Western Iceland during the annual workers’ weekend, along with significant rain in Northern Iceland.

In contrast, the previous winter brought about fewer weather-related alerts, with only 194 warnings being recorded—the lowest since the new system began in 2018. Out of these, eight were orange alerts.

Overall, 2024 has proven to be an exceptionally eventful summer in terms of weather activity, signifying a dramatic increase compared to previous years. The weather patterns in Iceland continue to show variability, with significant implications for local communities and public safety.