Iceland road conditions
- Ice on 1 pass
- Gusts up to 20 m/s at Fróðárheiði
The roads, live
Vegagerðin
Every stretch Vegagerðin reports on, coloured by its condition. Tap a road for what it means, when it's cleared, the wind along it and its webcams.
Arrow keys move the map, plus and minus zoom, 0 shows all Iceland. Roads with problems are listed below the map.
Roads to watch right now
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Notices from Vegagerðin
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Road network and reports: Vegagerðin (Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration) — DATEX II road sections (retrieved 2026-10-19, simplified), the road report, incidents, webcams and roadside stations, under CC BY 4.0; adapted by us. Snow-clearing hours and notices from umferdin.is. Basemap: © OpenStreetMap contributors, OpenMapTiles, OpenFreeMap. Not a safety service: check umferdin.is or call 1777 before you set out.
Mountain passes
Live from the Road Administration's roadside weather stations
| Pass | Wind · gusts | |
|---|---|---|
| SteingrímsfjarðarheiðiThe road to Ísafjörður · Patches of ice | Patches of ice | 46 |
| FróðárheiðiAcross Snæfellsnes · Clear | Clear | 1220 |
| HellisheiðiReykjavík – Selfoss, Route 1 · Clear | Clear | 1015 |
| HoltavörðuheiðiRoute 1 to the north · Clear | Clear | 814 |
| MývatnsöræfiRoute 1, Mývatn eastwards · Clear | Clear | 812 |
| VatnsskarðRoute 1 into Skagafjörður · Clear | Clear | 811 |
| ÞrengsliThe alternative to Hellisheiði · Clear | Clear | 711 |
| HafnarfjallBy Borgarnes — notorious gusts · Clear | Clear | 711 |
| OddsskarðTo Neskaupstaður · Clear | Clear | 69 |
| FjarðarheiðiEgilsstaðir – Seyðisfjörður · Clear | Clear | 79 |
| BrattabrekkaTo Dalir and the Westfjords · Clear | Clear | 68 |
| ÖxnadalsheiðiRoute 1 to Akureyri · Clear | Clear | 48 |
| VíkurskarðEast of Akureyri · Clear | Clear | 27 |
| ÖxiShortcut to Djúpivogur · Clear | Clear | 57 |
| KjalarnesNorth of Reykjavík — notorious gusts · Clear | Clear | 57 |
| MöðrudalsöræfiRoute 1's highest stretch · Unknown | Unknown | 68 |
| Undir EyjafjöllumSouth coast — violent downslope gusts · Unknown | Unknown | 35 |
| ÖræfiBelow Öræfajökull — violent gusts · Unknown | Unknown | 34 |
Driving in Iceland: what visitors need to know
Wind is the real danger
Gusts above 20 m/s can push campervans and trailers off the road; above 25 m/s they're dangerous for any car. Open the door with both hands — rental companies charge for doors the wind rips off.
Never stop on the road
Not for a photo, a sheep or the northern lights. The shoulders are narrow and soft — drive on to a marked lay-by or car park.
One-lane bridges and gravel
“Einbreið brú” means one lane: the car nearest the bridge goes first. Slow right down where tarmac turns to gravel (“Malbik endar”) and at blind crests (“Blindhæð”).
Speed limits
90 km/h on paved roads, 80 on gravel, 50 or less in towns. Speed cameras are common and fines are steep.
Winter: daylight and tyres
From November to March, plan drives in daylight — as little as four hours in December. Rentals have winter tyres; still slow down where the road looks wet and the air is near freezing.
F-roads are 4×4 only
Highland roads open around July to September. Unbridged rivers can be deep after rain or warm days, and rental insurance doesn't cover water damage.
Fill up when you can
In the East, the Westfjords and the Highlands stations can be 100+ km apart. Pay-at-pump needs a card with a PIN.
Sheep and horses
In summer sheep graze beside — and on — country roads. If a lamb is on one side and its mother on the other, expect one to cross.
Reading Icelandic road reports
The words on umferdin.is and road signs, and what they mean for you
- Greiðfært
- Clear — the road is open and dry or wet
- Hálkublettir
- Patches of ice
- Hálka
- Icy
- Krap
- Slush
- Flughált
- Very slippery — glare ice
- Snjóþekja
- Snow-covered
- Þæfingsfærð
- Heavy going — deep or drifting snow
- Þungfært
- Difficult — only for well-equipped vehicles
- Ófært
- Impassable
- Lokað
- Closed
Before you set off
Questions visitors ask
Are the roads in Iceland open today?
Mostly open — drive with care. Ice on 1 pass. Gusts up to 20 m/s at Fróðárheiði. Of the main mountain passes we follow, 14 are clear, 1 icy, 0 snowy or heavy going and 0 closed. Always check umferdin.is for your exact route before you set off.
Is it safe to drive in Iceland right now?
Yes, with care: there's ice or strong wind in places. Slow down on bridges and mountain roads and keep two hands on the car door when you open it.
Is it safe to drive in Iceland in winter?
Yes, with preparation. Rental cars are fitted with winter tyres through the winter months. Daylight is short (4–5 hours in December), so plan to drive in daylight, keep fuel above half, and never drive into a road marked closed. Orange and red warnings mean stay put.
When do the F-roads (highland roads) open?
Most F-roads open between late June and mid-July and close again in September, depending on snow. They are for 4×4 vehicles only, include unbridged river crossings, and rental insurance does not cover water damage.
Do I need a 4×4 to drive the Ring Road?
Not in summer: Route 1 is paved and a normal car is fine. In winter a 4×4 with good tyres gives you more margin on snow and ice, but wind, not traction, is usually the real danger.