August in Iceland

August was a very warm month in the northern, western and southwestern parts of Iceland. In Reykjavík it was the fourth warmest since the official beginning of observations in 1871. August of 2003, 2004 and 1880 were slightly warmer. The temperature was above average in the whole country but not much above in the southeast.

The highest temperature of the month was recorded at Eskifjörður in the Eastern Fjords area on the 9th, 28.0 degrees C. This is the highest temperature measured in Iceland since 2008. The last week of the month was rather cold with overnight freezing temperatures at many inland locations. The lowest minimum of the month was -5.3°C registered at Brúsastaðir in a valley in the north.

It is unusual that the maximum temperature of the country stays above 20 degrees C for more than a few days in a row. But this summer saw a new record in this respect, the period from 27 July to 19 August had an unbroken chain of country maxima above or equal to 20 degrees. During the warm period the overnight low temperatures were also unusually high and the minima close to being record high.

The precipitation was at average in Reykjavík but in most parts of the country it was drier than usual. In Akureyri the total of the month was only 8.4 mm, the driest August since 1960. The sunshine hours in Reykjavík were close to average but Akureyri has only once enjoyed more sunshine in August since the beginning of registration in 1928.

The first eight months of the year have been unusually warm in Iceland. This period of the year has only once been warmer in Stykkishólmur (in the west), that was in 2003. The record goes back to 1846.