The twelfth volcanic eruption began tonight
You wake up peacefully in the morning, take a first look at your phone - and immediately see a WhatsApp message with "Eruption".
Oops! Yes, sure, the land uplift on Reykjanes had continued since the last eruption, and it had now exceeded the level of the last eruption, so the next eruption could potentially be expected. But when it will actually start, you can only really say when it actually happens...
I then turned on the television - at first all I could see was a thick grey cloud.
It varies greatly whether one can see anything or not due to the cloud rising from the eruption fissure.
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| Special broadcast from 12 noon on television about the outbreak (with sign language interpreter) |
This is currently the twelfth eruption on Reykjanes since the first eruption at Fagradalsfjall in March 2021, and the ninth eruption in the Sundhnúkur crater series ( Sundhnúksgígar ) since December 2023.
The outbreak began at midnight:
Yesterday evening at 11:55 p.m., a swarm of earthquakes began in the Sundhnúkur crater chain; over 100 earthquakes were recorded within an hour. Civil Protection assessed the probability of an eruption as high. Grindavík and Svartsengi were evacuated. This also affected approximately 200 people at the Blue Lagoon hotel and visitors at the campsite in Grindavík.
Grindavík is closed except for emergency services, residents and on-site staff.
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| Source: vedur.is |
The eruption began shortly before 4 a.m. A webcam from RUV shows the first glowing, red-hot lava bubbling from the fissure at 3:53 a.m.
The eruption site is located southeast of Litla-Skógfell, in an area similar to the eruption in August 2024. The fissure was initially about 700 meters long (see map), but by 10:00 a.m. it had expanded to about 2 km. Experts from the responsible authority currently believe that this is a relatively small eruption, based on the lava flow. Currently, the lava is flowing mainly eastward, but also partly westward.
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| Source: vedur.is |
During a reconnaissance flight by Veðurstofa, the Icelandic Meteorological Office, with an Icelandic Coast Guard helicopter this morning , it was determined that the eruption is no longer confined to a single fissure:
The larger fissure that opened tonight is now estimated to be approximately 2.4 km long. However, a second fissure has also opened further west of Fagradalsfjall, currently estimated to be around 500 meters long.
The gas cloud from the volcano is currently moving northwest from the eruption site. Residents in Reykjanesbær, Vogar, Sandgerði, and Garður are asked to keep doors and windows closed, turn off air conditioning, and breathe through their noses if possible due to the gas pollution from the volcanic eruption.
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| Source: vedur.is |
Sulfur dioxide levels in Njarðvík rose into the red zone around 8 a.m. this morning. The level is now declining. The previous high was 6,284 μg/m³ , but 2,600 μg/m³ is considered "unhealthy" for humans.
Even healthy people may experience coughing, headaches, and eye, nose, and throat irritation at these levels; sensitive individuals may develop more severe symptoms . In these cases, outdoor activity is not recommended.
The roads around Grindavík are closed, as is public access to the town. The Blue Lagoon is also closed.
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| Source: umferdin.is |
Nornahár - Witch's Hair
There are currently numerous reports from residents on Reykjanes about the so-called "witch hair" and these "hairs" have also been found on cars in the parking lot of Keflavík Airport. Apparently, there are more "witch hairs" this time than in previous eruptions.
Caution is absolutely necessary here!
[Translated from here.]
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| Source: mbl.is |
According to Morgungblaðið, parliamentarian Jóhann Friðrik Friðriksson, a member of the Progressive Party in Alþingi who lives in Reykjanesbær, posted this picture on Facebook today.
The "witch hair" is a very thin, fragile glass fiber that forms during volcanic eruptions when lava splashes cool rapidly and are stretched by the wind. This "hair" is light and slightly golden-blonde, making it visually reminiscent of human hair. It is very light and can spread over a relatively large area, depending on wind and weather conditions.
The so-called witch hairs are brittle, and sharp splinters can easily penetrate the skin. Therefore, it is recommended not to touch them with bare hands. It is also not a good idea to remove the witch hairs from your car by hand! This can cause injuries to your hands and scratches in the paint. It is recommended to blow the witch hairs off cars and windows and rinse them with water.
Witch hair can cause skin and eye problems , so people on Reykjanes are urged to be careful .
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| View of the volcanic eruption from the airplane from April 13th, 2024 |
There is currently no danger to air traffic, just as air traffic was not affected during the last eleven outbreaks.
Only two United Airlines flights were canceled and turned back in mid-air . Flight UA 138, which took off yesterday evening at around 9:20 p.m. local time from Newark, New Jersey, turned around halfway over Newfoundland as a precaution and landed back in Newark after a 6-hour flight. Flight UA 912, which took off from Chicago at the same time yesterday, also turned back en route and arrived back in Chicago at around 4 a.m. I read on Facebook that there was an announcement on the plane for the flight from Newark that conditions in Keflavík were unsafe due to a possible ash cloud. All other flights, including the Icelandair flights from Newark (landed shortly before 6 a.m.) and from Chicago (landed at 9:40 a.m.), operated without any problems.
Keflavík Airport is operating normally.
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| Source: mbl.is from July 16th, 2025 |
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