Changes - Increased activity in the Geyser area
Since October 19, 2024, the Icelandic Meteorological Agency (Veðurstofa Íslands), which is also responsible for monitoring the forces of nature and the dangers they pose, has reported unusual and increased activity in the hot springs in the Haukadalur geothermal area.
Due to reports in the media, I took advantage of the good weather on Sunday (October 27th) to look at these changes on site. Apparently many Icelandic families had the same idea; I've rarely heard so much Icelandic here.
Strokkur erupts more often, stronger and higher than usual
Normally, Strokkur, the large active geyser in this area, erupts every 5 to 10 minutes, usually once, sometimes twice, and very rarely three times in a row. The water column reaches a height of up to 20 meters, but can sometimes be significantly smaller.
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| Photo from August 2024 |
Due to the increased activity in the area, the Strokkur is currently erupting much more strongly.
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| Pictures from October 27, 2024 |
The cloud of water eruption reaches a height of up to 30 meters. The eruptions are sometimes so violent that rock material and stones are thrown into the air.
Yesterday, as I was about to leave, the strokkur felt like it was "escalating" - first I heard the water fountain and the shouts of the people behind me, turned around again and took another "farewell photo". But then it went on, the next burst followed, and another, and another... When I counted, I got 9 or 10 bursts in a row, but I was so surprised that I may have gotten confused when counting.
Based on my photos, I'm sure about at least 8 eruptions in a row; according to my camera, there are a little less than 3 minutes between the first and the last photo.
In a newspaper report from October 24th, the park ranger in Haukadalur reported 12 eruptions within 2 minutes. Such an “escalation” from the Strokkur is apparently really happening at the moment, but it is extremely unusual.
Blesi thermal spring is located above Strokkur. It's usually quiet here, but things are completely different right now. The path directly in front of the spring, which was beautifully paved just this summer, is cordoned off and there is a large, solid wooden sign in front of it: "Lokað / Closed" and that is "vegna hættulegra aðstæðna / due to dangerous condition".
Blesi is a hot spring with two different colored pools. The water from the spring first flows into the first basin, which is filled with colorless, boiling hot water. Depending on the outside temperature, the hot water lets the pool steam to varying degrees. Some of the water from the first pool then flows into the second pool. The water cools down and the silica contained in the thermal water reacts with the air. The water surface in the second pool then reflects the surrounding light, usually creating a wonderfully bright, intense blue color.
Blesi is currently "boiling" - it's steaming enormously, small bubbles rise on one side, the bubbles get bigger, a small column of water slowly rises, splashes, bubbles and bubbles, splashes into the other basin and floods the surrounding area. Then it becomes less again for a short time - and then starts again.
I've absolutely never seen it like that before. However, friends have assured that they have already experienced activity in the spring some years ago. The water here is said to have sometimes reached a height of 0.5 to 1 meter. I have a really hard time estimating it, but judging by the people in the background, I think that the water certainly reached a height of more than 1 meter yesterday.
There have been no changes to the geyser itself, so far
There have been no changes to the Great Geyser itself, despite the increased activity in the other springs. In any case, yesterday the water level was smooth and calm, with only light steam rising from the hot springs.
Subjective: Noticeably high water level
My subjective impression yesterday was that the water levels were unusually high everywhere. At Strokkur I had the feeling that the water level in the pool was higher than usual, it was overflowing all around and the "edging" from which the water column shoots upwards was hard to see under the surging water.
At Blesi, where you can usually easily see the two pools of the thermal spring, a third pool of water had apparently formed between the two pools.
And the watercourse, which normally burbles gently next to the path to the exit, roared clearly audibly yesterday and carried more water than I have ever experienced before.
The environmental agency is asking tourists to exercise extra caution and distance in the Geysir area due to increased activity.
The situation on site is being monitored, but so far no clear causes for the increased activity have been identified. Changes in the water table may have caused more pressure in the hot springs. However, the authority is currently assuming that the changes are still within the usual variability of the geothermal system.
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| Photo from July 2020 |
The Geysir area in Haukadalur is one of the most famous areas with springs (goshverir) in the world, especially one of the few that have been known for centuries. The Great Geyser is probably the oldest known and still (occasionally) active geyser in the world.
In 1294 there was a large earthquake in southern Iceland and in writings from the end of the 13th century the Great Geyser was first described as a hot spring in this area. However, geological studies indicate that the geothermal area in Haukadalur has probably been active since the end of the last great ice age in Iceland around 10,000 years ago.
The Great Geyser was first mentioned by name in 1647, after several large earthquakes in southern Iceland from 1630 onwards. Although the geyser did not erupt regularly at the time, its water column probably reached a height of around 60 to 80 meters at that time. Over the centuries, the geyser's activity has changed significantly. Around 1845 it reached a height of up to 170 meters, but from 1900 onwards its activity decreased significantly, probably because the surface of the lake (= cooling area) became too large. In some cases it was caused to break out by soapy water. After the earthquake in the summer of 2000, the geyser erupted again, but it has now been a while since the last eruption.
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| Strokkur - photo from December 2023 |
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| Strokkur eruption, photo from February 2023 |
The area immediately around the hot springs Geysir, Strokkur and Blesi was purchased in 1935 by the Icelandic entrepreneur Sigurður Jónasson (1896 - 1965) and donated to the Icelandic state. The remaining area is still privately owned.
The Geysir area in Haukadalur was placed under protection as a natural monument on June 17, 2020.
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