December heat records were broken or equalled by at least 53 remote weather-monitoring stations and three manned stations in the first days of the month. The cause was a mass of warm air that moved across the country. The data comes from Meteorologist Trausti Jónsson.
The highest temperature previously measured in Iceland in December was 18.4°C (65.1°F), recorded on December 14, 2001 near Siglufjörður. That record was broken at three separate locations on December 2, when temperatures reached 19.7°C () at Kvísker, Southeast Iceland, 19.0°C (66.2°F) at Bakkagerði and 18.7°C (65.7°F) at Vestdalur (both in East Iceland).
Daily temperature records (as opposed to monthly) were broken at over 200 locations, though some of them had only been operation for a few years. When only those operating for ten years or longer were considered, then daily temperature records were broken at 178 stations on December 2 and 111 station on December 3.
