The year 2016 was one of the warmest years on record in Iceland, and the warmest year since systematic measurements began in the Westfjords and the region around Breiðafjörður bay in West Iceland. The average temperature in Iceland was 0.7°C above the average for the years 2006-2015, and 1.7°C above the average for the years 1961-1990.
The Icelandic Meteorological Office reports that the average temperature in Reykjavík was the second highest on record: 6.0°C (42.8°F), compared to the 1960-1990 average which was 4.3°C (39.7°F). This is the 21 year in a row when the temperature in Reykjavík is above the average. Several other measuring stations either recorded the highest or second highest temperatures on record. The entire region of the Westfjords and Breiðafjörður bay set new temperature records in 2016.
Read more: Local weatherman calls for boycotting Chinese made goods to fight global climate change
In addition to having been unusually warm last year was also wetter than average, especially in South Iceland. The first months of the year, as well as spring and summer were relatively dry, but the fall and first months of the winter recorded far more rainy days than in an average year. The warm weather has meant that this winter has also had unusually little snow. Days when the ground was covered in snow in Reykjavík November and December were far fewer than in an average year. Taken as a whole 2016 had 14 fewer snow days than 2015.
The year 2016 was one of the warmest years on record in Iceland, and the warmest year since systematic measurements began in the Westfjords and the region around Breiðafjörður bay in West Iceland. The average temperature in Iceland was 0.7°C above the average for the years 2006-2015, and 1.7°C above the average for the years 1961-1990.
The Icelandic Meteorological Office reports that the average temperature in Reykjavík was the second highest on record: 6.0°C (42.8°F), compared to the 1960-1990 average which was 4.3°C (39.7°F). This is the 21 year in a row when the temperature in Reykjavík is above the average. Several other measuring stations either recorded the highest or second highest temperatures on record. The entire region of the Westfjords and Breiðafjörður bay set new temperature records in 2016.
Read more: Local weatherman calls for boycotting Chinese made goods to fight global climate change
In addition to having been unusually warm last year was also wetter than average, especially in South Iceland. The first months of the year, as well as spring and summer were relatively dry, but the fall and first months of the winter recorded far more rainy days than in an average year. The warm weather has meant that this winter has also had unusually little snow. Days when the ground was covered in snow in Reykjavík November and December were far fewer than in an average year. Taken as a whole 2016 had 14 fewer snow days than 2015.
