Iceland records hottest christmas eve ever as temperatures soar to nearly 20°c

Iceland shattered its Christmas Eve temperature record this year, with the small eastern town of Seyðisfjörður reaching an unprecedented 19.8°C (67.6°F) on December 24th, according to the country’s meteorological office.

This remarkable temperature reading represents a dramatic departure from Iceland’s typical winter weather patterns. To put this in perspective, average December temperatures across the Nordic island nation typically range between -1°C and 4°C (30°F to 39°F), making this Christmas Eve reading nearly 16 degrees above the seasonal norm.

The record-breaking warmth wasn’t isolated to Seyðisfjörður alone—meteorological officials reported elevated temperatures across the entire country during the holiday period. This extreme weather event highlights the increasingly unpredictable climate patterns affecting Arctic and sub-Arctic regions worldwide.

Iceland’s Christmas Eve temperature spike adds to a growing body of evidence showing how climate change is reshaping traditional seasonal weather patterns in northern latitudes. The country, known for its glaciers, geysers, and typically frigid winters, has experienced several notable temperature anomalies in recent years as global warming continues to alter atmospheric circulation patterns in the North Atlantic region. Such extreme temperature deviations during winter months raise concerns among climate scientists about the accelerating pace of environmental changes in one of the world’s most climatically sensitive regions.