It's not just here
The US is in the middle of a horrible cold snap. Iceland is experiencing the same.
From
The Reykjav�k Grapevine:
Temperatures Drop Below -30�C, Breaking Records
Some parts of Iceland have seen record-low temperatures, but that hasn't stopped tourists from enjoying themselves.
As reported, unusually low temperatures have swept across Iceland over the past two days. While temperatures in the capital got as low as -13�C, MBL reports that the M�vatn area of north Iceland hit a bone-chilling -31�C yesterday.
Meteorologist Trausti J�nsson pointed out that this is the coldest temperatures recorded in Iceland since 8 March 1998, when the mercury dropped to -34�C. In fact, yesterday's temperatures at M�vatn are the lowest recorded temperatures in Iceland for December 6 of any year.
Undaunted by these temperatures, tourists around M�vatn decided to enjoy some outdoor bathing in -31� C temperatures.
"It's fine to show up in this kind of weather. The damned wind is our enemy," Birgir Steingr�msson, a caretaker for the baths, told reporters. "There was this crappy northwestern blowing and it was snowing ice nails yesterday, but [the cold] is actually the best weather."
When I backpacked through Iceland, I spent a few days at Lake M�vatn. It was late August and the temps were getting colder. I spent a couple hours one day in a covered lava tube standing in wonderful hot water looking out at the field being covered with snow. Went back to my tent and spent the night with a blizzard depositing about ten inches of snow. High winds -- it felt like an ice giant was slapping the walls of the tent. I was snug as a bug and nice and warm. Left a few days later -- I had spent two months there and it was time to get home.
Posted by DaveH at December 7, 2013 1:21 PM