Severe weather on Saturday
Blizzard expected 29th December
Warning issued: 27. december 2012 at 14:00 UTC:
The Icelandic Met. Office has issued a warning of severe weather in the Westfjords on Friday evening and on Saturday in the whole country, especially in the north. People are advised against travelling in the northern half of the country.
The forecast is as follows:
Northerly 20-25 m/s and snow in the Westfjords in Friday evening but north 18-28 m/s in the western half of Iceland in Saturday morning. Lighter winds in the east.
Moderate to heavy snowfall or sleet in the northern half of Iceland and in the Eastfjords, sleet in the Southeast but mainly dry in the Southwest. Decreasing winds and precipitation in the west part in Saturday evening but increasing winds in the east.
Risk of avalanches
It has been snowing in mountains and on mountain slopes for the past few days, especially in the West- and Eastfjords (and heavy snowfall is forecast) and the risk of avalanches can increase quickly with increasing winds and blowing snow.
The Met. Office recommends that skiers, snowmobiles and others traveling in the mountains avoid known avalanche slopes and do not travel where avalanches can fall. Also, avoid stopping vehicles on parts of the roads where there is a risk of avalanches.
Please keep up to date on weather and travel conditions, see text forecasts and warnings.
Forecasters on duty: Björn Sævar Einarsson and Kristín Hermannsdóttir
Avalanche specialist on duty: Auður E. Kjartansdóttir
