May 2024 was the warmest on record in Iceland, with a nationwide heatwave breaking temperature records at nearly all weather stations. The heat peaked at 26.6°C in Egilsstaðir, contributing to the warmest spring ever recorded in the country.
Historic heatwave sweeps the country
May 2024 was the warmest on record in Iceland, according to the Icelandic Meteorological Office. Nearly every weather station in the country reported new highs for average and maximum temperatures.
A historic heatwave from May 13 to 22 swept across the country, with temperatures exceeding 20°C at about half of Iceland’s weather stations on May 17 and 18. The national record for May was broken at Egilsstaðir Airport, where temperatures reached 26.6°C—one degree above the previous record set in 1992.
Average monthly temperatures were significantly above normal, particularly in the northeast and eastern highlands, where they exceeded the 10-year average by up to five degrees. Akureyri recorded an average of 10.1°C—the highest ever measured in May in Iceland—while Reykjavík recorded 9.0°C, both well above long-term averages.
The warm spell followed an unusually mild April, making this spring (April and May combined) the warmest in Icelandic history. The average temperature in Reykjavík over the two months was 7.4°C—which is 2.2°C above the 30-year norm. The first five months of 2024 also ranked as the third warmest start to a year in Reykjavík in 155 years.
