The storm which hit Iceland on Monday came close to breaking the record for wind speeds measured in Iceland. The storm reached the strength of a Category 3 hurricane at one weather station, Category 2 storm at three weather stations and a Category 1 storm at 44 measuring stations, the local news site visir.is reports. Hurricane Sandy, which hit the Atlantic coast of the US in 2012 and the second most destructive hurricane in the history of the US, was a Category 3 storm.
Read more: Fastest wind gust recorded yesterday measured 261.3 km per hour (162.4 mph)
A Category 3 storm is defined as wind speeds between 50-58 m/s (130-129 mph) for ten consecutive minutes, a Category 2 storm is defined as wind speeds between 43-49 m/s (96-110 mph) and a Category 1 storm is defined as wind speeds between 33-42 m/s (74-95 mph).
The maximum wind speeds during Monday’s storm were 50.9 m/s for ten consecutive minutes at Hallormstaðaháls near the town of Egilsstaðir in East Iceland. The record is 62.5 m/s, measured at Skálafell mountain, North East of Reykjavík on January 20 1998.
Winter storm Diddú, destroyer the downtown Christmas tree
Despite reaching hurricane level wind speeds, winter storms, like Monday’s storm, which has unofficially been named Diddú, are very different from tropical hurricanes like Sandy. However, the storm Diddú did manage to wreak some havoc, sinking boats, destroying concession stands and causing more than 100 million ISK (780,000 USD/710,000 EUR) in damages to the electricity grid, visir.is reports.
Read more: The Oslo Christmas tree in Austurvöllur lit for the first time on Sunday
The storm also managed to destroy the downtown Christmas tree, the Oslo tree. City employees had removed the tree from the square in anticipation of the storm, but Dagur B. Eggertsson announced on Twitter today that the tree had nevertheless been damaged too severely to be useful. According to visir.is a new tree will be cut today in the Heiðmörk forest, east of Reykjavík.
The storm which hit Iceland on Monday came close to breaking the record for wind speeds measured in Iceland. The storm reached the strength of a Category 3 hurricane at one weather station, Category 2 storm at three weather stations and a Category 1 storm at 44 measuring stations, the local news site visir.is reports. Hurricane Sandy, which hit the Atlantic coast of the US in 2012 and the second most destructive hurricane in the history of the US, was a Category 3 storm.
Read more: Fastest wind gust recorded yesterday measured 261.3 km per hour (162.4 mph)
A Category 3 storm is defined as wind speeds between 50-58 m/s (130-129 mph) for ten consecutive minutes, a Category 2 storm is defined as wind speeds between 43-49 m/s (96-110 mph) and a Category 1 storm is defined as wind speeds between 33-42 m/s (74-95 mph).
The maximum wind speeds during Monday’s storm were 50.9 m/s for ten consecutive minutes at Hallormstaðaháls near the town of Egilsstaðir in East Iceland. The record is 62.5 m/s, measured at Skálafell mountain, North East of Reykjavík on January 20 1998.
Winter storm Diddú, destroyer the downtown Christmas tree
Despite reaching hurricane level wind speeds, winter storms, like Monday’s storm, which has unofficially been named Diddú, are very different from tropical hurricanes like Sandy. However, the storm Diddú did manage to wreak some havoc, sinking boats, destroying concession stands and causing more than 100 million ISK (780,000 USD/710,000 EUR) in damages to the electricity grid, visir.is reports.
Read more: The Oslo Christmas tree in Austurvöllur lit for the first time on Sunday
The storm also managed to destroy the downtown Christmas tree, the Oslo tree. City employees had removed the tree from the square in anticipation of the storm, but Dagur B. Eggertsson announced on Twitter today that the tree had nevertheless been damaged too severely to be useful. According to visir.is a new tree will be cut today in the Heiðmörk forest, east of Reykjavík.
