This past February was the coldest Iceland’s capital has seen since 2008. The temperature was below the average for the past ten year across the country and below the average for 1961-1990 in South and Southwest Iceland and in most parts of West Iceland too.
The month was characterized by heavy precipitation, fluctuating temperatures and stormy weather, disrupting transport, especially on mountain passes, mbl.is reports.
With 1.5 m/s above the average, the month was the stormiest since February 1989. In Reykjavík there were only 34.3 hours of sunshine in February, which is 18 hours below the 1961-1990 average and 32 hours below the average for the past ten years. Akureyri in the north saw 28.7 hours of sunshine last month, or eight hours below the 1961-1990 average.
The average temperature in Reykjavík in February was -0.1°C (31.8°F), 0.5 below the average for 1961-1990 and 1.7 below the average for the last ten years. In Akureyri the monthly average was -0.6°C (30.9°F), 0.9 above the average for 1961-1990 but 0.5 above the average for the past ten years.
The temperature fluctuated from 17.4°C (63.3°F) at Dalatangi, East Iceland, on February 8 to -25.8 °C (-14.4°F) at Brúarjökull, Vatnajökull outlet glacier in the northeastern highlands, on February 21.
