CLIMATE
Temperature
The warm currents of the Gulf Stream wash the shores of Iceland, keeping the coast generally free of ice all year round.
Reykjavík, the capital, is further north than Moscow, St Petersburg, Helsinki and Anchorage, but winter temperatures are mostly within a few degrees of 0°C. Summer temperatures are relatively low.
The mean annual temperature in Reykjavík is 5°C. The average temperature in January is -0.4°C and in July it is 11.2°C.
Precipitation
Precipitation in Reykjavík is mainly rain, although snow, sleet and rain can fall during the winter months.
Annual rainfall is 780 mm (31"), which is less than in New York (1,194 mm/47"), but similar to London (737 mm/29").
Winds and storms
Strong winds can blow in from the Atlantic Ocean at all times of year, but less so in the summer months. Weather forecasts are becoming increasingly accurate, and severe damage because of storms is very rare.