Live cameras in Reykjavík, Iceland

Reykjavík is the capital of Iceland and the northernmost capital of any sovereign state, set on the southern shore of Faxaflói bay at about sixty-four degrees north. The city itself has about 140,000 residents, and the wider capital region about a quarter of a million, close to two thirds of the country. Tradition says the Norse settler Ingólfr Arnarson made his home here around the year 870, but the town was formally founded as a trading post only in 1786. The skyline is low and colorful, crowned by the tall concrete tower of Hallgrímskirkja church and the glass facets of Harpa concert hall on the harbor. Across the bay, the long ridge of Mount Esja changes color with the weather and light.

What the cameras show

Reykjavík's own cameras are operated by Vegagerðin, the Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration. They are road-weather webcams, still images refreshed every few minutes, placed along main roads so drivers can see snow, ice, wind-blown spray and visibility. In and around the capital they watch the main roads leading in and out of the city, toward the mountain route over Hellisheiði to the east, north along the coast toward Kjalarnes and the Hvalfjörður tunnel, and south toward the Reykjanes peninsula and the international airport at Keflavík.

Iceland uses Greenwich Mean Time all year with no daylight saving. Daylight swings dramatically: from late May to late July it is light almost around the clock, while in December and early January the day lasts less than five hours, with sunrise after eleven in the morning near the solstice. Winters are mild for the latitude but windy and changeable, and storms can bring sudden snow or freezing rain. From September to April, clear and dark nights offer a chance to see the northern lights, though city lights make the countryside better for that.

Nearby, the town of Hafnarfjörður sits just to the south on its lava field, and the geothermal valley at Hveragerði lies over the mountains to the east.

Sources: Reykjavík - Wikipedia · Vegagerðin (Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration) - road conditions and webcams · Icelandic Met Office - aurora forecast.