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The International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction was held the 13^th of October as every year since 1989. The day was designated by the United Nations General Assembly, with the aim to promote a global culture of risk-awareness and disaster reduction, including disaster prevention, mitigation and preparedness. The day is an opportunity to create global awareness about disaster risk reduction, the progress made and to encourage further efforts to build disaster resilient communities and nations.

Changes in the area and volume of ice and snow are strong indicators of global warming and nowhere are such changes more visible than in the Arctic, where the warming rate is presently twice as high as the global average. At this year's Arctic Circle Assembly, scientists from the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) led sessions and workshops on melting glaciers in the Arctic region. This is one of four topics that will be highlighted during Iceland's chairmanship of the Arctic Council in 2019–2021.

The year 2018 was wet and relatively warm. The precipitation was well above average in most parts of the country and the number of precipitation days was considerably higher than normal both in the South and in the North. The summer months were relatively cold in the southwestern part of the country compared to the last ten years while it was warm in the northeastern part. There was exceptionally little sunshine in the southwestern part of the country during the year. The number of bright sunshine hours in Reykjavík have not been as few since 1992. June and July were particularly gloomy in the South West. The last two months of the year were warm. Wind speed was close to average

The European Network of Observatories and Research Infrastructures for Volcanology EUROVOLC is a H2020 Research and Innovation Project of the European Commission. It will construct an integrated and harmonized European volcanological community able to fully support, exploit and build-upon existing and emerging national and pan-European research infrastructures, including e-Infrastructures of the European Supersite volcanoes. The harmonization includes linking scientists and stakeholders and connecting still isolated volcanological infrastructures located at in situ volcano observatories (VO) and volcanological research institutions (VRIs).

Today, 12 October, is the 100-year anniversary of the 1918 eruption of Katla. The volcano is considered one of the most hazardous of Iceland's 32 active volcanic systems. During the last 1100 years, Katla has erupted at least 21 times, with an average repose interval of around 50 years. The current one-hundred-year repose marks the longest period since a Katla eruption. The Katla volcanic system is located in the eastern volcanic zone. It is characterized by an 80-km-long fissure swarm and an ice-clad central volcano. The central volcano is covered by the Mýrdalsjökull ice-cap and it includes a 9 by 14 km caldera, with ice-thickness up to 700 m.