Clouds threaten to obscure Iceland’s solar eclipse

Very little of Iceland’s total solar eclipse is likely to be visible on Wednesday because of cloud cover, Icelandic Meteorological Office forecaster Marcel de Vries told mbl.is.

De Vries said the forecast called for cloudy weather and rain across southwestern Iceland, while conditions were not expected to be much better in the north and east. He described the forecast as “just incredibly negative” overall.

He said he had spent the night looking for a weather model that might offer hope of the clouds breaking up. However, cloud forecasts were not always reliable, meaning there could still be some possibility for residents and visitors who had travelled to Iceland to see the eclipse.

Temperatures could reach 18 degrees Celsius, but considerable rainfall was expected, particularly in southern Iceland. Heavy showers were possible later in the day, and thunderstorms could not be ruled out. De Vries said the chances were fairly low, although there were currently lightning strikes between Iceland and the Faroe Islands.