Extratropical Cyclone Lands, Country Locks Down

A extratropical cyclone has made its way across the country. The western and southern parts of the island seem to have the worst of it at this time. A red warning is in effect for the capital region, South Iceland, Faxaflói, Southwest Iceland and Southeast Iceland until noon.

This storm has disrupted everyday life in many ways. At least three windmills stopped sending data related to the storm this morning, one in Hvalfjörður, one in Kjalarnes, and one under Eyjafjöll. The wind speed picked up to 30 m/s and then the data cut off.

Also in Hvalfjörður, a man was struck in the head by a flying roof shingle, seriously injuring him. An ambulance crew was able to reach the scene, despite erratic weather. His condition is not clear, but we wish for the best.

In Reykjavík, huge flares lit up the sky over the city this morning. According to Landsnet, the flares were caused by a power outage due to the storm. The outages happened in the newest neighborhoods in the city, Grafarholt and Úlfarsárdalur, on the eastern edge of Reykjavík. Other parts of the country affected by power outages were under Eyjafjöll, Rangárvöllur, Vík and Mýrdal, Biskupstungur in Hvalfjörður and Húsafell.

Many things are canceled throughout the day, including buses, schools, swimming pools, and leisure centers. Many roads are also closed. You can find a complete list of closures here.

People are encouraged to stay home, and keep their pets inside. Seriously folks, we cannot understate how important it is to remain indoors while this cyclone is underway.