From Iceland — Entire Country About To Get Hit By Massive Storm

Entire Country About To Get Hit By Massive Storm

Published February 21, 2022

Andie Sophia Fontaine
Photo by
Icelandic Met Office

Readers are advised to avoid traveling anywhere in Iceland from this afternoon until at least tomorrow evening, as a violent weather system is set to descend upon the entirety of Iceland.

We have been having some awful weather here as of late, so we’re specially grateful for our comfy traditional lopapeysa sweaters, the beautiful woolen garments which have been keeping Icelanders warm for generations. They’re available in our shop, and ours are hand-knitted right here in Iceland.

The storm is expected to kick off this afternoon in southwestern Iceland and the Highlands with winds from 18 to 25 metres per second in these areas, snow, and poor visibility. These conditions will spread to every quadrant but the northeast by 19:00.

From there, conditions will only worsen. The entire southern half of the country will face winds raging from 23 to 30 metres per second, accompanied by rain and snow. Roads will become unpassable, and wind damage is very likely. The northern half of the country will not fare much better, as winds will reach from 15 to 23 metres per second. Transport in the area may be disrupted.

The peak of the storm will occur just before midnight, with gale force winds reaching 20 to 28 metres per second, accompanied by heavy precipitation. These conditions will blanket the entire country. The southwest, including the greater Reykjavík area, will be hit by a storm wherein winds could reach up to 30 metres per second.

While these conditions will relax somewhat by Tuesday for everywhere but the northeast, this does not mean conditions will be good. On the contrary, winds in the southwest will still range from 18 to 28 metres per second. These conditions will persist until at least Tuesday morning.

As such, we implore all of our readers to stay off the roads from this afternoon until tomorrow evening. Wherever you want to go, it is not worth the risk. As always, check with SafeTravel.is before you get behind the wheel, and save yourself considerable time, money, and physical danger.

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