Iceland saw record temperatures last year. So why are scientists predicting a ‘deep freeze’?

Excerpt from euronews.com

According to the Icelandic Met Office, the national average temperature last year was 5.2°C. This is a 1.1°C increase from the average for the years 1991-2020 and the highest since records began.

Temperatures were “well above average” for almost every month of the year, particularly during spring. In fact, in mid-May, a 10-day heatwave baked the country, with temperatures reaching a scorching high of 26.6°C at Egilsstaðir Airport.

Annual rainfall was below average for the past 10 years across most of the country, but it still exceeded the 1991-2020 average in many locations. For every 1℃ rise in air temperature, the atmosphere can hold around seven per cent more moisture, which can lead to more intense and heavy rainfall.