Many trees that had leafed out during the warm May weather were badly affected by the cold spell at the beginning of June, reports RÚV.
The leaves facing north have now withered, while those in sheltered spots remain green. This contrast is clearly visible on trees in Reykjavík.
According to meteorologist Trausti Jónsson, the beginning of June was the coldest in Reykjavík this century. “The average temperature in Reykjavík during the first 20 days of June was 7.8°C, which is 1.7°C below the 1991–2020 average and 1.5°C below the average of the past ten years. These 20 days were as cold as the same period in 2001, making them the coldest start to June this century (of 25 years). The warmest such period occurred in 2002, with an average temperature of 11.5°C. Looking at the long-term record, this year ranks 133rd out of 153. The coldest was in 1885, when the average was 6.6°C,” he wrote on his Hungurdiskar page on Facebook.
Þórólfur Jónsson, head of nature and parks at Reykjavík City, says the vegetation should recover later this summer.
“I don’t know if that’s the right word, but of course it’s sad to see. Naturally, as someone who tends to plants, you want them to thrive and look good. So when something like this happens, it’s definitely a shock,” he told RÚV.
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