Why the weather is the most dangerous thing in Iceland?
When you think about dangerous things you can find in a country, you can think about wild animals, wars and even dangerous people, but the weather is the most difficult in Iceland.
For six months, the weather in Iceland is the most dangerous thing one can face because of its geographical position, almost in the middle of the ocean.
The oceanic winds and storms reaching Iceland are powerful, and if you are not an Icelander, you would be surprised by the strength of these phenomena.
Some intense storms reach Iceland every year, and what is left behind these storms looks like a horror movie. Most of the time, the cars are destroyed, and some people even lose their lives because they ignored the recommendations of the Icelandic authorities.
In these images, you can see the aftermath of a storm in Iceland in the second half of September 2022. It was the strongest storm that Icelandic people had experienced, and the damages were severe.
During such storms, there is no space for “I know better than them” or “I can drive through storms” because, in Iceland, the storms are nothing like some people are used to. So be responsible and do not endanger other people just because you do not want to listen to weather alerts.
As a travel agency, we are constantly updated with weather alerts because we know how dangerous a storm or the wind can be in Iceland, and we do not want to put our guests in danger. We are also not recommending that tourists self-drive during winter; the extreme weather is why we do that.
For you to understand better, Iceland’s weather can be so extreme that people will not go to work or leave their houses if the wind is more than 20 m/s (72 km/h).
The extreme weather in Iceland does not mean only strong winds and storms or snowstorms; it also means dangerous ocean waves that are deadly, especially on open beaches.
The most dangerous waves are on Reynsfjara-Black Sand Beach on the South Coast of Iceland, where many people lost their lives because they stood too close to the shore, and the big waves dragged them into the ocean.
There are signs everywhere advising people not to approach the shore or enter the cave if the weather is not good, and still, every year, one or more tourists die there.
Every day on social media, we see how people post their experiences in Iceland in extreme weather; they think it is funny, but it is not!
Suppose you are ignoring the recommendations of the Icelandic authorities and venture into the bad weather. In that case, you put other people in danger, and those people are part of the rescue teams that will come to help you.
Beginning the middle of September until late April the weather can be extreme in Iceland and you should follow the recommendations of your travel agent and especially the recommendations of the Icelandic authorities.
Also, it is your duty and obligation to check the weather and road conditions before leaving your accommodation. Vedur.is and road.is will help you.
We know the winter season is lovely, and the weather is not extreme every day, so people should not avoid travelling to Iceland during winter. They must be flexible and replan their trip when the weather is terrible.
To have an unforgettable experience in Iceland during winter, you should book your trip through a local travel agency, and I am saying that not to make more sales. Still, it will be better to let the locals deal with bad weather or road conditions.
Ultimately, they live there and know better what to do when the weather is terrible.
Private tours are the best during winter; you enjoy your trip while a local driver guide deals with the problems. They will always find something for you to do or see if the weather is cancelling your initial plans. And the best part is that you will be safe.
When you book with a travel agent, there is more flexibility regarding driving, accommodations, and activities, many of which can be refundable or rescheduled. This flexibility may be difficult when you are booking everything on your own.
Many people think that if the price of a private tour and a trip booked independently is the same, there is no point in depending on a tour guide. Still, the tour guide’s knowledge and flexibility are something you will not have if you book everything alone.
Be responsible and listen to what Icelanders and Icelandic authorities recommend about the weather. We have more blogs about this subject, and you can find handy information, such as the natural phenomena happening in Iceland or the websites and apps you need to check for road and weather alerts.
Look at our blog about the Weather in Iceland, the one about Driving in Iceland during winter and the one about How to be safe while travelling in Iceland?
