Iceland experiences coldest September since 2005 with record low temperatures

September in Iceland has been notably cold, with national average temperatures not recorded this low since 2005. The average temperature in Reykjavik was 6.9 degrees Celsius, while it was 5.6 degrees in Akureyri.

Despite the chill, the month featured considerable sunshine in both Reykjavik and Akureyri, along with lower than average precipitation and high atmospheric pressure throughout the country. Winds were strong in the eastern regions, while the western parts experienced calmer weather.

All weather stations reported average temperatures below the last decade’s norms, with some stations marking the lowest average for September since records began.

In Reykjavik, rainfall totaled 57.8 mm, which is about 66% of the average for 1991-2020, whereas Akureyri received 51.3 mm, close to its typical figures. Stykkishólmur recorded nearly 80 mm of rain, while Höfn in Hornafjörður saw 150.6 mm. However, sunshine hours exceeded averages in both Reykjavik and Akureyri.

This September experienced unusually high atmospheric pressure, with several stations recording their highest levels of the century. Dalatanga registered the highest pressure measured in September since it began taking readings in 1938.

Overall, Iceland’s summer has been one of the coldest since 1998, with the national average temperature being 0.9 degrees Celsius below the norm for the years 1991-2000, except for a brief warm period in mid-July in the Northeast and East.