Icelanders marked the First Day of Summer yesterday with highs of 16.6°C in Reykjavík. The coldest reading was -8.4°C in Fjarðarheiði, East Iceland.
16.6°C in Geldinganes
Despite today’s rain, Icelanders across the country enjoyed mild and pleasant weather on the First Day of Summer, with temperatures climbing as high as 16.6°C in some areas.
The warmest reading of the day was recorded at Geldinganes in Reykjavík, followed by 16.1°C at Korpa and 15.7°C in Víðidalur, also in the capital. Meanwhile, the coldest temperature was noted at Fjarðarheiði in East Iceland, where the mercury dropped to -8.4°C.
“Don’t jinx it”
The First Day of Summer, a national holiday in Iceland, always falls on the first Thursday after April 18. Although it often arrives while snow still lingers on the ground, this year’s forecast—which proved accurate—had promised warmer air from the south and southwest. The mild temperatures delivered a touch of seasonal optimism for Icelanders looking forward to a pleasant summer.
In a recent interview, Icelandic meteorologist Sigurður Þ. Ragnarsson, known affectionately as “Siggi Stormur,” predicted a warmer summer compared to the previous year. His forecast was met with scepticism on social media. Mayor of Hveragerði Pétur G. Markan and others accused the personable weatherman of having “jinxed” the coming summer, recalling his overly optimistic and ultimately inaccurate prediction ahead of the cold and wet summer of 2024 (Siggi issued a lighthearted apology for last year’s forecast in July of 2024).
