Next Eruption Expected To Be Bigger Than The Last

The next eruption in the Sundhnúkagígar crater row is expected to be 30% bigger than the previous one, according to the Met Office.

The last volcanic event in the crater row started on August 22 and ended on September 5. It resulted in a seven-kilometre-long fissure and produced 15 square kilometres of surface lava. The September eruption was the biggest of the series that began in December 2023..

Ground uplift and magma intrusion in Svartsengi continue to this day, more than a month after the previous eruption was declared over.

In conversation with RÚV, manager of the Met Office’s deformation assessments Benedikt Ófeigsson said that if the development of the next eruption follows a similar pattern, it may lead to a bigger volcanic event. However, he says that multiple factors influence an eruption’s size. Despite these predictions, there is little risk of the volcano affecting the Reykjanesbraut highway.

Since the volcanic activity started at Sundhnúkagígar in 2023, the area has seen six eruptions. On Monday, October 21, Grindavík was opened to the general public, for the first time since its evacuation in November 2023.

Follow the Grapevine’s ongoing volcano coverage.