Wind in Iceland: driving and protecting your car doors

Why wind matters in Iceland

Strong wind can make travel in Iceland hazardous, and the weather can change fast. Forecast maps show the average wind, but it is the gusts that catch a door or push a car sideways. The Icelandic Met Office says gusts are usually about 20% stronger than the average wind, and near mountains they can be more than twice as strong.

A gust can catch a door as it opens and bend it forward past its hinges, or swing it into the car next to you. On the road, gusts and sudden changes in wind direction can affect a vehicle's stability, especially a tall one such as a van.

Icelandic forecasts and road weather stations give the wind in meters per second (m/s). Multiply by 3.6 for km/h: 10 m/s is 36 km/h, and 20 m/s is 72 km/h.

The descriptions are the Icelandic Met Office's, for the average wind on its forecast maps; the advice is ours. Gusts come on top.

How to open car doors in wind

1. Park facing into the wind. Car doors are hinged at the front, so with the nose into the wind a gust pushes an open door back toward the car instead of flinging it forward. It can still swing shut, so mind your hands and legs.
2. Open one door at a time, with both hands, and keep hold of it until you are out and the door is closed again.
3. Passengers wait until the driver is out and says it is safe. An adult opens the doors for children.
4. Wait for a lull if a strong gust is blowing. Gusts come and go.
5. Never leave a door open, not even for a quick photo or to fetch something from the back.
6. Hold the tailgate or trunk lid while you load and unload, and close it as soon as you are done. In a van, keep hold of a sliding door until it is latched open or fully closed.
7. Leave space next to other cars when you park, if you can, so a door that gets away from you doesn't hit another car.

Driving in strong wind

• Slow down and keep both hands on the wheel, so you can correct calmly if a gust pushes the car sideways.
• Expect the strongest gusts near mountains and in exposed places, and be ready when the road leaves shelter.
• Take extra care in a tall vehicle. Our Family & Space 9-seat van catches more wind than a smaller car. Keep a safe distance from trucks and buses too: gusts can affect their stability.
• Roof loads catch the wind as well. A roof load needs a rack we have approved (rental terms, clause 21).
• Watch for sudden wind shifts. The umferdin.is map can mark stretches where a rapid change in wind speed or direction may affect a vehicle's stability.
• Never stop on the road itself. If the wind gets too strong, pull into a parking area or another safe place off the road and wait, with the car facing into the wind if you can.
• Before you set off, close all doors, windows and hatches, and secure anything you carry.

Checking the wind before you go

1. Weather warnings: vedur.is. The Icelandic Met Office issues yellow, orange and red warnings for each forecast area, based on the impact the weather is expected to have.
2. Wind forecast: vedur.is. Choose the time you will be driving and look at the wind where you will be. The maps show the average wind, not the gusts.
3. Roads and wind right now: umferdin.is shows road conditions and closures, and its weather stations show the current wind, with charts of the wind and gusts over the last 48 hours. On the map, the storm symbol means wind of 19 m/s (about 68 km/h) or more, or gusts above 26 m/s (about 94 km/h).
4. Travel alerts: safetravel.is, for warnings about dangers on the roads, especially in connection with the weather.
5. Not sure? Call 1777, Vegagerðin's road information line, open 06:30–22:00 every day.

Road conditions on umferdin.is are updated from 07:00 to 22:00 between 1 October and 30 April, and from 08:00 to 16:00 in summer, so check again before each long stretch. More: How to check road conditions in Iceland.

Sand and ash

Strong wind can lift sand and volcanic ash off bare ground and blast it against a car. On the umferdin.is map, the blowing-sand symbol means visibility is greatly reduced and vehicles risk damage. If you see it on your route, wait or take another route.

Sand and Ash Protection (SAP) costs €15 a day and is included in MAX (€40 a day). It covers damage from sandstorms, erosion and ash with no excess, except in an area under an orange or red wind warning from the Icelandic Met Office (rental terms, clause 38).

We suggest it if you will drive the South Coast or the east in windy weather. Every cover option is explained on Cover & extras.

What our rental terms say

• Clause 18, road conditions and weather: check road classifications, closures, conditions and warnings (umferdin.is, vedur.is, safetravel.is), adapt your driving to snow, ice and gravel, and “in strong wind park facing into the wind and hold the doors firmly.”
• Clause 36, exclusions: no cover option covers damage “from windblown sand, gravel, ash, pumice or earth, except sand and ash damage covered by SAP or MAX.”
• Clause 38, Sand and Ash Protection: “SAP covers at no excess damage from sandstorms, erosion and ash, except in an area under an orange or red wind warning from the Icelandic Meteorological Office.”

How your cover option applies to damage, and what you would pay, is explained in How damage works and Cover & extras. The full text is in our rental terms.

If the wind damages your car

1. Get safe first. If you are on the road, stop in a safe place off it and switch on the hazard lights. Don't drive on with a door that won't close properly. If anyone is hurt or in danger, call 112.
2. Take photos of the damage from several angles, of where the car is, and of anything the door or the car hit.
3. Tell us straight away: call or WhatsApp +354 779 9499, day or night, and we'll tell you what to do next.
4. Don't arrange repairs yourself. Call us before any repair or towing: repairs arranged without us are not reimbursed (rental terms, clause 50).
5. Send us a report with your photos on Report an accident.
6. If another car or a person was involved, follow the accident steps: after an accident, the rental terms (clause 19) ask you to tell the police and us immediately.

Questions about wind and car doors in Iceland