Thunder And Lightning Actually In The Weather Forecast

Icelandic winter weather now has a little more variety, as thunder and lightning are both predicted to make appearances over the coming days.

New forecasts from the Icelandic Met Office are predicting cooling temperatures and increased precipitation over the next few days, most likely in the form of sleet or hail. In addition, however, thunder and lightning are also in the forecast, with a likelihood of occurring today and over the next few days.

While thunder and lightning might be a common weather phenomenon in lower latitudes, they are decidedly uncommon this far north, as weather conditions usually do not allow the clash of warm and cool air that creates them. In fact, if you do see lightning in Iceland, it is most often from within a volcanic ash cloud.

However, thunder was heard across southwest Iceland yesterday, and meteorologist Þorsteinn V. Jónsson told Vísir that lightning struck six to eight times across the region.

In other weather-related news, as temperatures sharply decrease through the week, winds will also start kicking up. Temperatures between 0°C and -8°C can be expected, along with sleet and hail, over the next few days.