What kind of weather you can expect on New Year’s Eve in Iceland depends entirely on what part of the country you’ll be in, but cloud cover is likely for most parts of the country.
The forecast for this Monday at midnight shows relatively light winds and temperatures in the single digits below zero for almost the entire country. The one exception is the Westman Islands, where they can expect temperatures to be at about 3°, but winds there could reach up to 12m/s.
Clouds will cover almost the entire country at around midnight, apart from central South Iceland, where skies should be clear. Cloud cover will be especially pronounced in the north and northeast, and snow is expected in these regions as well, with considerably more of it falling in the east of the country.
None of this should detract from the beauty of watching the New Year’s fireworks, of course. However, the light winds and heavier cloud cover could spell trouble in terms of air quality on this night. As reported, fireworks do contain harmful materials such as lead, copper, and chrome, amongst other chemicals.
With this in mind, we remind you that the Environment Agency of Iceland has set up an air quality map, and those with small children or respiratory conditions are advised to pay special attention to it. Your health is more important than being outdoors on New Year’s, and there’s no shame in watching the action from indoors.
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