wet christmas
After what seemed like weeks of continually accumulating snow, by yesterday morning the Reykjavík area was blanketed in the stuff. It was white and glorious everywhere, streetlights and Christmas lights reflecting light back off the ground and keeping things cheerful in the 20-hour December nights of Iceland.
But no more. Yesterday we got hit by a wind and rainstorm that eradicated all of the snow within a couple of hours. Winds on top of nearby Skálafell were 80 mph last evening, gusting to 100. Temps have shot back above freezing. And while it is calm now, the synoptic charts are showing at least 3 new low-pressure systems cued up to curve their way around the south tip of Greenland and slam us with more rain and wind than we know what to do with. (Actually, we do know what to do with it. The Land has a seemingly infinite capacity for rain and wind.)
As of now, it looks like at least the first half of the Christmas holidays (which start today and extend through the weekend) will be experienced in gale-force strength. Also it seems like we're taking one for the European team, as the whole of the British Isles and Continent sunbathe under glorious clear skies the next days. And that seems to mark a fitting end to 2008.
But no more. Yesterday we got hit by a wind and rainstorm that eradicated all of the snow within a couple of hours. Winds on top of nearby Skálafell were 80 mph last evening, gusting to 100. Temps have shot back above freezing. And while it is calm now, the synoptic charts are showing at least 3 new low-pressure systems cued up to curve their way around the south tip of Greenland and slam us with more rain and wind than we know what to do with. (Actually, we do know what to do with it. The Land has a seemingly infinite capacity for rain and wind.)
As of now, it looks like at least the first half of the Christmas holidays (which start today and extend through the weekend) will be experienced in gale-force strength. Also it seems like we're taking one for the European team, as the whole of the British Isles and Continent sunbathe under glorious clear skies the next days. And that seems to mark a fitting end to 2008.
posted by JB at 23.12.08
4 Comments:
You talk about synoptic charts with the air of a metman. I'm proud of you! I notice one of 953 on the way, which is uncommonly low.
Hey, I first heard the words "synoptic chart" uttered by your bearded face. So you can thank yourself.
Are there snow days in Iceland? What do Icelandic children wish for to get a free day out of school?
It's pretty rare, but occasionally they do cancel school here due to an ongoing storm during the school day. But this mainly happens in the north, where it snows a lot more than here in balmy Reykjavík.
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