Sumardagurinn fyrsti, which translates to the First Day of Summer, is a unique Icelandic public holiday celebrated on Thursday. The annual holiday takes place on the first Thursday after April 18th.
However, the climate in Iceland in April is usually nothing like summer. Snow showers, strong gales and temperature below 0 Celsius (32 F) are to be expected, just as we have witnessed over the last few days. This is spring in Iceland.
The tradition of the First Day of Summer is based on the Old Norse calendar that divided the year into only two seasons, winter and summer. Late April was/is thought to be a fairly safe time to celebrate the end of a long, cold winter.
The Icelandic Met Office gives us reasons to be joyful today. The weather forecast for Thursday is excellent. We have a sunny day ahead of us today: East wind, in most areas 8 to 13 m/s, but 15-20 in the south part of the country. Clear skies in the north part, elsewhere partly cloudy with spells of rain in some places. Temperatures 7 to 15 deg. C, during the day, warmest in the north and west parts.
On Thursday (First Day of Summer): Southeast wind 5 to 10 m/s. Clear skies in the north, but cloudy and slight precipitation in the south. Temperature 8 to 13 degrees C.
“Gleðilegt sumar!” (Happy summer) is the greeting to use on Thursday.
Sumardagurinn fyrsti, which translates to the First Day of Summer, is a unique Icelandic public holiday celebrated on Thursday. The annual holiday takes place on the first Thursday after April 18th.
However, the climate in Iceland in April is usually nothing like summer. Snow showers, strong gales and temperature below 0 Celsius (32 F) are to be expected, just as we have witnessed over the last few days. This is spring in Iceland.
The tradition of the First Day of Summer is based on the Old Norse calendar that divided the year into only two seasons, winter and summer. Late April was/is thought to be a fairly safe time to celebrate the end of a long, cold winter.
The Icelandic Met Office gives us reasons to be joyful today. The weather forecast for Thursday is excellent. We have a sunny day ahead of us today: East wind, in most areas 8 to 13 m/s, but 15-20 in the south part of the country. Clear skies in the north part, elsewhere partly cloudy with spells of rain in some places. Temperatures 7 to 15 deg. C, during the day, warmest in the north and west parts.
On Thursday (First Day of Summer): Southeast wind 5 to 10 m/s. Clear skies in the north, but cloudy and slight precipitation in the south. Temperature 8 to 13 degrees C.
“Gleðilegt sumar!” (Happy summer) is the greeting to use on Thursday.
