The Botany of Iceland - 01.12.1914, Page 107

PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY
291
southern side, while fogs, with sleet and cold, extend from Húna-
flói to the plateaus north of Langjökull. In a similar manner the
mountain ranges on Reykjanes and Snæfellsnes exert great influence
upon the local weather-conditions in the districts on either side of
them. Apart from this, the weather often varies greatly in the dif-
ferent parts of the coast — a storm may be blowing on the south
coast, while it is calm on the north coast. Northerly winds usually
bring snow or rain to North Iceland, while they bring clear weather
upon the south coast; southerly winds bring rain or snow-squalls
to South Iceland and almost always an overcast sky, while simul-
taneously it is clear weather in North Iceland. The weather may
differ in the Ijords: a storm may be blowing out of the fjord, while
it is calm outside, and vice versa. Sudden and strong gusts of wind
blowing down from the mountains are often dangerous in some
fjords, and in mountainous districts, highly intersected by valleys
and ravines, the conditions of weather in the different districts are
very capricious. On the whole, the weather-conditions on Iceland
are very variable and unreliable in character.