The weather was unusually warm in Iceland last December. On December 12, the temperature rose to 15.1°C (59.2°F) at the automatic weather station at Skjaldthingsstadir, east Iceland, which is a record high for that day since temperatures were first registered in Iceland.
The snow in Akureyri in December 2009. Photo by Eygló Svala Arnarsdóttir.
The previous heat record in Iceland on that day was 14.5°C (58.1°F), Morgunbladid reports. Daily records were also broken in Reykjavík on December 11 and 12, when the temperature rose to 11 and 11.5°C (51.8°F and 52.7°F), respectively.
North Iceland saw significant precipitation in December but south and west Iceland little precipitation. The first day of the month was relatively cold but then a period of heat began, which ended on December 18.
Last December was characterized by cold and still weather. However, on Christmas Eve stormy weather and avalanche risk was reported in northwest Iceland. Wind damages were reported in east Iceland and in the Westman Islands on December 19 and 20.
The highest temperature in December 2009 was 15.5°C (59.9°F) in Siglufjördur, north Iceland, on December 11. The month’s lowest temperature in inhabited areas measured -24°C (-11.2°F) at Mývatn in northeast Iceland on December 28.
Click here to read more about the weather in December and here to read a summary of the weather in 2009.
