Establishment of avalanche warning services in Iceland. Auður Elva Kjartansdóttir Geographer, Avalanche section, Weather Department Icelandic Meteorological.

Establishment of avalanche warning services in Iceland.

Auður Elva KjartansdóttirGeographer, Avalanche section, Weather DepartmentIcelandic Meteorological Office e-mail: [email protected]: +354 893 2200

Death due to natural hazards in Iceland 1901 to 2000 (Tómas Jóhannesson, 2001)

Type of hazard Number of deaths

Sea and drowning Thousands

Weather Hundreds

Avalanches 166

Mudslide and falling rock

27

Volcanic eruption 2

Earthquake 1

Places where avalanche accidents have occurred (Helgi Björnsson 1980)

Deaths due to avalanches in villages 1801-2000

Deaths due to avalanches in villages in recent years

Primary villages that have avalanche danger.

Neskaupstaður 20. Dec. 1974.

Hjörleifur Guttormsson

Neskaupstaður 20. Dec. 1974, Mánahúsið Hjörleifur Guttormsson

Patreksfjörður January 1983

Weather, 15th of January 1995

Súðavík 16. January 1995

Flateyri 26. október 1995

tolarated risk for villages.

Area. Lower limit of risk.

Upper limit of risk.

Allowed structures.

C 3*10.000 -

No new structures.

B 1*10.000 3*10.000

It is ok to build houses other than schools, kindergartens and hospitals. If they are built to bear Instant pressure from 20 up to 90 kN/m2.

A 0,3*10.000 1*10.000

It is ok to build all houses, and schools, kindergarten and hospitals If they are built to bear Instant pressure from 5 up to 20 kN/m2

Photo: Oddur Sigurðsson

Grid of Snow observers

Snow observers web site

The Avalanche danger table used in the Weather Office of Iceland.

Dags Ólafsvík Bíldudalur Tálknafjörður Patreksfjörður Bolungarvík Ísafjörður Siglufjörður Ólafsfjörður Seyðisfjörður Neskaupstaður Eskifjörður

  10. nov  1 1    2  1+ 1 +    1+  1  Nánast autt  

14.nóv       2 2 2   2+ 1 1  

 17. nóv        2      2  2  2 1   

21.nóv  1  1  2 2+   2-  1  2 1  1   1

26.nóv           2+ 3 2+ 1+ 1  

 28. nóv    2+  2+   2+  2+ 3+  3+  2+ 2 2   

4.des       2-  2 2 1   2-  1  

8.des       2 2 2+ 1 1 1    

11.des      1  2 2 2 2 2 2 1   

15.des     1  1  2 2  1 2 2 2 2   

18.des  1  1  1  3 2 2  3  3  2    

22. ses   1 1 1 1+ 1 1 2 1 1 1

28.des       1 1 1 1 1 1 1  

3./5. jan 07      1  1    1  2  1  1  1  

9.jan 1 1 1 1 2 1+ 2 1+ 1 1  

12.jan     1 1 2 2 2 1+ 1    

19.jan       2+ 2+ 2+ 2 2+ 2 2  

23.jan        2-  2+  3  3  2+  2    

26.jan       1 2 2 1 2 2-    

2.feb           1 1 1 1    

5.feb         2 1  1 1  1    

9.feb         2 1 1 1 1-    

 12. feb       1 1 1 1 1 1 1  

16.feb       1 2 1   1 2- 2  

20.feb       1 1 1 1 1 1 1  

23.feb       1 1 1 1 1 1 1  

27.feb       1 1 1 1 1 2 1  

 2. mar          2  2  2  1+  2  2  

5.mar       1 2+ 2+ 2 2 2   2

 9. mar             2+ 3      

13.mar     1 2 3+ 3 2 3 2 2 2

16.mar     1 2 3 2 3 2+      

19.mar    2 2    2++  3+  3  2+  2+  2  2 

23.mar    2    1              

Deaths due to avalanches outside villages1801-2000