Avalanches
The Icelandic Meteorological Office avalanche and landslide section conducts research, monitoring, and hazard assessment related to avalanches and landslides in Iceland. The institution brings together specialist expertise and technical resources to support state-of-the-art research and monitoring.
The Icelandic Meteorological Office issues regional avalanche forecasts for five areas of thecountry . From 15 October to 31 December, avalanche forecasts are issued at 19:00 on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and updated more frequently as required. From 1 January to 1 June, forecasts are issued daily. The forecasts are made for three days at a time. The forecasts cover large areas and include both avalanches caused by natural factors and those triggered by human activity. The regional forecasts are not necessarily indicative of avalanche danger in populated areas. The regional avalanche forecasts are intended to assist people travelling in mountainous terrain and others who need to make decisions related to avalanche risk, such as the Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration, mountain guides, power utilities, and ski area operators. The purpose is to reduce the public's exposure to avalanche risk.
The Icelandic Meteorological Office conducts daily monitoring of snow conditions in urban areas exposed to avalanche danger. It issues avalanche warnings and evacuations in cooperation with local authorities. Evacuation plans have been prepared for the key urban areas exposed to avalanches and landslides. These evacuation plans are developed in cooperation with local civil protection committees and the Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management.
Hazard maps have been developed for avalanche- and landslide-prone urban areas, in accordance with Regulation No. 505/2000 on hazard zoning due to snow- and landslides, classification and utilisation of hazard zones, and preparation of provisional hazard zoning, as amended by Regulation No. 495/2007. Site-specificevaluations are conducted for individual buildings or building plots in rural areas where formal hazard assessments are not available. Hazard assessments are based on research into the behaviour of avalanches and landslides including in Icelandic conditions. This work is supported by extensive cooperation with foreign experts and institutions. The hazardassessment webpages on the Icelandic version of this website provide access to reports and other information on hazard evaluations for the key urban areas exposed. For each area, the status of the assessment work is indicated, and dedicated webpages provide access to more detailed data.
