Bárðarbunga
Seismicity by period · derived statistics from Skjálftalísa (Icelandic Met Office)
Status (automatic)
In the last 24 hours, 14 earthquakes were recorded in Bárðarbunga, a central volcano with a large fissure system under Vatnajökull, showing activity similar to the past week but slightly higher than usual for this area. The increase consists mainly of distributed background activity rather than swarms and resembles the period around May 6, 2025, while land uplift is currently faster than the decadal average although GNSS data are several weeks old. These figures are automatic preliminary results, and further details on trends and uplift can be found lower on the page.VONA = Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation; the official Met Office colour code for aviation. Independent of Skjálfti's automatic analysis.
Depth — 3D and cross-section Bárðarbunga + Holuhraun dyke · last 90 days
Each dot is an earthquake, depth as the third dimension — Bárðarbunga + Holuhraun dyke, last 90 days. Drag the 3D view to rotate; point at a dot for details.
3D (rotatable) · depth ×2.5
Cross-section — distance along profile (km) vs depth (km)
Map (top view)
<24 klst2–7 dolderunconstrained depthsize ∝ magnitude (M)
⚠ Preliminary depths, unreliable (automatic Met Office solutions; depth often poorly constrained). events with unconstrained (default) depth shown as open rings — not real structure. For illustration, not analysis.
🕰️ Last eruption / event — 11 years ago
Holuhraun eruption ended (2015-02-27). Iceland's largest lava eruption since Skaftáreldar in 1783 (1.4 km³ in 6 months). Caldera subsided 65 m. Reloading only reaches 0.001% of Holuhraun moment.
Central volcano with a large fissure swarm beneath Vatnajökull — one of Iceland's most active systems. The 2014–2015 Holuhraun eruption was the largest lava eruption in Iceland since the Laki fires of 1783. (overview — more at vedur.is) · circle on the map = rough outline of the system (radius).
Subglacial system: a subglacial eruption can cause a jökulhlaup (sudden glacial meltwater flood) with little warning, and volcanic gases (incl. SO₂, CO₂) can be dangerous near vents and may pool in hollows. These are standing features of the system, not a sign of an imminent eruption.
📜 Did you know?
Vatnaöldur ~877 AD from the Bárðarbunga system produced the Landnám tephra layer — the marker layer archaeologists use to date all Settlement-era sites in Iceland (Grönvold et al. 1995, GRIP ice core). Holuhraun (2014-15) was then Iceland's largest lava eruption since Skaftáreldar in 1783 — 1.4 km³ in 6 months, caldera subsided 65 m.
Historical eruptions in the system — points colored by size, blue circle shows where we are now in time.
❓ What if Bárðarbunga erupts again?
Two likely scenarios:
1. Holuhraun-style fissure (like 2014-15): magma extends NE from caldera and erupts at the Vatnajökull margin. Lava onto the highlands, no settlements at risk. SO₂ can reach all populated areas — health warnings needed. 2. Subglacial eruption: jökulhlaup down Jökulsá á Fjöllum to the north, or Köldukvísl/Skjálfandafljót. Peak flow 10,000-50,000 m³/s for modern eruptions (prehistoric catastrophic floods were much larger). No direct settlement risk but highways close. Current reloading: 0.001% of Holuhraun moment — not close to next eruption. Sources: Holuhraun 2014-15 (Gudmundsson et al. 2016), GVP.
1. Holuhraun-style fissure (like 2014-15): magma extends NE from caldera and erupts at the Vatnajökull margin. Lava onto the highlands, no settlements at risk. SO₂ can reach all populated areas — health warnings needed. 2. Subglacial eruption: jökulhlaup down Jökulsá á Fjöllum to the north, or Köldukvísl/Skjálfandafljót. Peak flow 10,000-50,000 m³/s for modern eruptions (prehistoric catastrophic floods were much larger). No direct settlement risk but highways close. Current reloading: 0.001% of Holuhraun moment — not close to next eruption. Sources: Holuhraun 2014-15 (Gudmundsson et al. 2016), GVP.
This is not a forecast. Based on historical experience and official hazard assessments from the Met Office / Civil Protection.
Jökulhlaup history (historical renewal model + Bayesian update)
Last known flood (Eystri ketill): 2024-08-01, 678 d ago. Median interval between floods: ~1.0 yr (375 d, n=12) · 303 d over median interval · historically ~1 in 5 within 6 mo from a state like this (n=12).
Active signals now:
- Skjálfta-aukning (×2.0) — 20.0/d vs 7.7/d (sl. 14d)
Active signals raise the rough baseline — from ~1 in 5 toward ~1 in 3 over the next 6 mo. The multiplier (×2.0) is a rough estimate, not a measured probability.
Likelihood ratios are illustrative — not from peer-reviewed Iceland-specific research. Indicator, not forecast.
Note: The Met Office does not publish open realtime water-level/conductivity data. Realtime flood monitoring requires VPN/agreement with Veðurstofa (vmkerfi.vedur.is).
KISA step detection — 6 drops ≥ 15 mm in past 2 yr (May-Oct; winter snow filtered). Each drop = ice-shell subsidence, possible jökulhlaup signal. Latest: 2025-10-31 (-35 mm).
Bárðarbunga reloading since Holuhraun (2015-03). Cumulative seismic moment (M₀ = 101.5M+9.1 N·m) = 3.5×10¹⁵ N·m (0.0017% of Holuhraun ~2×10²⁰). Deep (≥15 km) earthquakes: 2.3×10¹² N·m (0.000%) — possible mantle-magma replenishment. Seismic reloading never approaches eruption moment; small percentages are normal — next eruption requires fresh magma loading, not just seismic accumulation. This 0.001% is like adding a teaspoon back into an empty bucket — recharge is just beginning.
Points = earthquake locations in the selected window, coloured by magnitude: ● M3+ · ● M2+ · ● smaller (a sample if more than 800).
Earthquakes
14
Largest
M1.3
M3,0+
0
Depth range
0–5 km
Earthquakes over time
Cumulative count · 14 earthquakes · total moment ≈ M1.7 · count moment
Depth (0 km at top). Grey: fixed depth.
Magnitude distribution
Depth cross-sections — color by age (orange=newest, grey=older), point size by M. Rising cluster = possible magma intrusion.
Earthquakes
41
Largest
M1.3
M3,0+
0
Depth range
0–13 km
Earthquakes over time
Cumulative count · 41 earthquakes · total moment ≈ M1.9 · count moment
No significant hypocenter migration — activity is stationary (R²=0.17, n=41); no sign of a propagating dike. Migration shows automatically if R²≥0.30.
Depth (0 km at top). Grey: fixed depth.
Magnitude distribution
Depth cross-sections — color by age (orange=newest, grey=older), point size by M. Rising cluster = possible magma intrusion.
Earthquakes
168
Largest
M1.8
M3,0+
0
Depth range
0–30 km
Earthquakes over time
Cumulative count · 168 earthquakes · total moment ≈ M2.3 · count moment
No significant hypocenter migration — activity is stationary (R²=0.03, n=168); no sign of a propagating dike. Migration shows automatically if R²≥0.30.
Depth (0 km at top). Grey: fixed depth.
Magnitude distribution
Depth cross-sections — color by age (orange=newest, grey=older), point size by M. Rising cluster = possible magma intrusion.
Earthquakes
465
Largest
M3.7
M3,0+
2
Depth range
0–30 km
Earthquakes over time
Cumulative count · 465 earthquakes · total moment ≈ M3.8 · count moment
Depth (0 km at top). Grey: fixed depth.
Magnitude distribution
Depth cross-sections — color by age (orange=newest, grey=older), point size by M. Rising cluster = possible magma intrusion.
Earthquakes
1804
Largest
M3.7
M3,0+
10
Depth range
0–30 km
Earthquakes over time
Cumulative count · 1804 earthquakes · total moment ≈ M4.1 · count moment
Depth (0 km at top) — shallowing in the data (4.3→2.3 km). Grey: fixed depth.
Magnitude distribution
Depth cross-sections — color by age (orange=newest, grey=older), point size by M. Rising cluster = possible magma intrusion.
Gutenberg-Richter b ≈ 0.76 ± 0.08 (i.e. likely 0.68–0.85, M≥1.7, n=76) · low b can accompany magma activity (small sample, interpret with caution)
Note: before February 2026 about half of events lacked an automatic magnitude, so magnitude-dependent figures (b-value, count of M≥X) under-count earlier periods — the catalogue is not homogeneous across this window. Cumulative moment is barely affected.
Earthquakes
3747
Largest
M3.7
M3,0+
18
Depth range
0–30 km
Earthquakes over time
Cumulative count · 3747 earthquakes · total moment ≈ M4.3 · count moment
Depth (0 km at top). Grey: fixed depth.
Magnitude distribution
Depth cross-sections — color by age (orange=newest, grey=older), point size by M. Rising cluster = possible magma intrusion.
Gutenberg-Richter b ≈ 0.74 ± 0.05 (i.e. likely 0.69–0.80, M≥1.7, n=152) · low b can accompany magma activity (small sample, interpret with caution)
Note: before February 2026 about half of events lacked an automatic magnitude, so magnitude-dependent figures (b-value, count of M≥X) under-count earlier periods — the catalogue is not homogeneous across this window. Cumulative moment is barely affected.
Depth is automatic and uncertain; earthquakes alone do not show magma movement — deformation (GPS) and gas are needed. Grey points: automatic fixed-depth values. b-value computed for M≥1.5 (automatic magnitudes make lower completeness unreliable). Preliminary data.
Uplift — GNSS deformation
KISA — land rising ~70 mm/yr (árstíða-leiðrétt) · long-term +38 mm/yr (MIDAS)
REYK (Reykjavík) — reference ~-2 mm/yr
Up = land rising (possible magma accumulation), down = subsidence. From Nevada Geodetic Lab (third-party processing, ~3-week lag, latest 2026-05-02). Interpreted deformation: Icelandic Met Office.
🌊 Volcanic tremor — The volcanic tremor baseline is currently normal and should only be compared to recent da…
IMO tremor plot (station skr). Most of the signal is weather and surf — not eruption confirmation. All stations: vedur.is.
Weather now: wind 6 m/s (Hágöngum) — moderate.
The volcanic tremor baseline is currently normal and should only be compared to recent days since wind and wave correlations are unreliable for this station. (AI)
Band analysis past 9 days (from digitized RSAM values). High 2-4 Hz + low 0.5-1 Hz = possible magma-movement signal; high 0.5-1 Hz without 2-4 Hz = weather/surf.
Earthquakes in the system
| Time (UTC) | Mag | Depth | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-10 03:23 | M1.2 | 4.1 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-10 03:23 | M1.3 | 3.1 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-10 03:23 | M1.3 | 3.3 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-09 23:51 | M0.9 | 1.1 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-09 23:33 | M1.2 | 2.0 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-09 23:33 | M1.0 | 1.1 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-09 22:19 | M0.5 | 0.0 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-09 21:11 | M0.6 | 5.2 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-09 19:52 | M0.7 | 1.8 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-09 19:10 | M0.7 | 1.1 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-09 16:44 | M-0.1 | 4.7 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-09 15:45 | M0.7 | 4.2 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-09 15:45 | M0.4 | 4.8 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-09 15:45 | M0.5 | 3.3 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-09 09:17 | M-0.2 | 0.4 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-09 07:20 | M-0.1 | 0.0 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-09 06:48 | M-0.4 | 1.2 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-09 06:34 | M0.2 | 8.8 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-06-09 06:17 | M0.2 | 6.4 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-09 06:17 | M0.0 | 3.2 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-09 05:58 | M-0.3 | 5.1 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-09 05:58 | M0.2 | 5.2 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-09 04:12 | M-0.7 | 5.2 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-09 03:08 | M0.1 | 0.9 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-09 03:04 | M0.4 | 7.6 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-09 03:04 | M0.6 | 6.0 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-09 02:59 | M-1.1 | 5.2 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-09 02:15 | M0.0 | 5.2 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-09 01:02 | M-0.2 | 2.9 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-09 00:42 | M-0.5 | 5.2 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-08 23:02 | M-0.7 | 5.2 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-08 23:01 | M0.8 | 2.0 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-08 23:01 | M0.9 | 0.0 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-08 22:59 | M0.6 | 12.7 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-08 22:58 | M1.0 | 1.1 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-08 22:58 | M1.0 | 0.0 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-08 22:56 | M0.6 | 1.1 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-08 21:11 | M1.3 | 0.0 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-08 21:11 | M0.9 | 1.1 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-08 19:21 | M0.2 | 1.1 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-08 11:39 | M1.0 | 1.1 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-08 08:22 | M1.3 | 1.1 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-08 08:22 | M1.0 | 0.1 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-08 08:15 | M1.5 | 0.6 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-08 07:59 | M1.1 | 0.5 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-08 07:59 | M1.1 | 2.1 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-08 02:30 | M0.3 | 2.7 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-08 01:46 | M-1.1 | 4.0 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-08 00:00 | M-0.1 | 0.1 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-07 23:01 | M-1.2 | 5.2 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-07 22:42 | M-1.3 | 5.2 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-07 21:39 | M-0.5 | 5.2 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-07 21:03 | M-0.0 | 0.0 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-07 20:53 | M-1.5 | 5.2 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-07 20:53 | M-0.2 | 5.2 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-07 20:30 | M-1.2 | 5.2 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-07 19:48 | M1.3 | 2.6 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-07 19:48 | M1.0 | 1.6 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-07 19:13 | M-1.5 | 5.2 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-06-07 18:52 | M1.1 | 1.1 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
For the advanced — expert charts — Coulomb, migration, InSAR
🔬 Coulomb stress transfer — advanced analysis
18 earthquakes M≥3.0 in this window on this system. Such events transfer stress to neighbouring faults — some become more likely to slip, others less ("Coulomb stress transfer"). The Met Office does not publish focal mechanisms for automatically located events, so Skjálfti does not compute this itself — it requires strike/dip/rake data which is only available for M≥4.5 events in the GCMT catalogue.
For Coulomb analysis, see: USGS Coulomb 3.4 (stand-alone software) and focal mechanisms for Iceland in Global CMT.
For Coulomb analysis, see: USGS Coulomb 3.4 (stand-alone software) and focal mechanisms for Iceland in Global CMT.
System journal
Automatic snapshots and media coverage, in chronological order. Subscribe: RSS · ntfy
skjalftar-bardarbunga2026-06-10 09:20:05 UTC
In the last 24 hours, 14 earthquakes were recorded in Bárðarbunga, a central volcano with a large fissure system under Vatnajökull, showing activity similar to the past week but slightly higher than usual for this area. The increase consists mainly of distributed background activity rather than swarms and resembles the period around May 6, 2025, while land uplift is currently faster than the decadal average although GNSS data are several weeks old. These figures are automatic preliminary results, and further details on trends and uplift can be found lower on the page.2026-06-09 23:05:04 UTC
In the last 24 hours, 24 earthquakes were recorded in the Bárðarbunga system, a central volcano with a large fissure swarm under Vatnajökull, and activity is similar to the past week. This scattered background activity is within normal levels for the area and most closely resembles the period around May 6, 2025. Uplift measures approximately 71 mm/year according to GNSS data that are several weeks old and show faster uplift than the decadal average. Results are automatic preliminary results, and further information can be found lower on the page.2026-06-08 21:40:04 UTC
In the last 24 hours, 14 earthquakes were recorded in Bárðarbunga, a central volcano with a large fissure system under Vatnajökull, and activity is similar to the past week. This scattered background activity is within normal levels for the area and most closely resembles the period around May 6, 2025. Uplift measures approximately 71 mm/year according to GNSS data that is several weeks old and shows faster uplift than the decadal average. Results are automatic preliminary results, and further information can be found lower on the page.2026-06-08 19:20:04 UTC
In the last 24 hours, 18 earthquakes were recorded in the Bárðarbunga system, a central volcano with a large fissure swarm under Vatnajökull, and activity is similar to the past week. This scattered background activity is within normal levels for the area, and land uplift measures approximately 71 mm/year according to GNSS data that are several weeks old. Results are automatic preliminary results and most closely resemble the period around May 6, 2025, while further details on trends and uplift can be found lower on the page.2026-06-08 11:00:06 UTC
In the last 24 hours, 30 earthquakes were recorded in Bárðarbunga, a central volcano with a large fissure system under Vatnajökull, and activity is similar to the past week. This scattered background activity is within normal levels for the area, while uplift is currently measured at approximately 71 mm/year, which is faster than the decadal average of 38 mm/year. Activity most closely resembles the period around May 6, 2025, and these automatic preliminary results are presented with a caveat regarding unreliable depth. Further data on trends and uplift can be found lower on the page.Repeated × 2 since 2026-06-08 00:20:05 — last 2026-06-08 08:35:04
In the last 24 hours, 32 earthquakes were recorded in Bárðarbunga, a central volcano with a large fissure system under Vatnajökull, showing activity similar to the past week but slightly higher than usual for this area. The increase consists mainly of distributed background activity rather than swarms and most closely resembles the period around May 6, 2025. Uplift is measured at approximately 71 mm/year, which is faster than the decadal average of 38 mm/year, though data are several weeks old and results are automatic preliminary results. Further details on maps and trends can be found lower on the page.2026-06-07 22:00:06 UTC
In the last 24 hours, 31 earthquakes were recorded in Bárðarbunga, a central volcano under Vatnajökull, with activity similar to the past week and within normal levels for this area. The increase is primarily due to distributed background seismicity rather than short-lived swarms, with the largest event at M1.8 and a cumulative magnitude of Mw 2.1. Uplift is measured at approximately 71 mm/year, which is faster than the decadal average, although GNSS data are several weeks old and results are automatic preliminary estimates. Activity most closely resembles the period around January 20, 2025, and further details on trends and uplift are available below.2026-06-07 20:00:05 UTC
In the last 24 hours, 28 earthquakes were recorded in Bárðarbunga, a central volcano with a large fissure system under Vatnajökull, showing activity similar to the past week but slightly higher than usual for this area. The increase consists mainly of distributed background seismicity rather than swarms and most closely resembles the period around January 20, 2025. Uplift is measured at approximately 71 mm/year, which is faster than the decadal average, though GNSS data are several weeks old and results are automatic preliminary results. Further details on maps and trends can be found lower on the page.2026-06-07 02:20:08 UTC
In the last 24 hours, 17 earthquakes were recorded in the Bárðarbunga system, a central volcano with a large fissure swarm under Vatnajökull, and activity is similar to the past week. This scattered background activity is within normal levels for the area and most closely resembles the period around January 20, 2025. Uplift measures approximately 71 mm/year according to GNSS data that are several weeks old and indicate faster uplift than the decadal average. Results are automatic preliminary results, and further information can be found below on the page.2026-06-06 02:25:06 UTC
In the last 24 hours, 25 earthquakes were recorded in Bárðarbunga, a central volcano with a large fissure system beneath Vatnajökull. Activity is similar to the past week but slightly higher than usual for this area, characterized by distributed background activity rather than swarms. Uplift is measured at approximately 71 mm/year, which is faster than the decadal average, though GNSS data are several weeks old and results are automatic preliminary results. Further information on maps and trends can be found lower on the page.2026-06-05 23:40:07 UTC
In the last 24 hours, 16 earthquakes were recorded in Bárðarbunga, a central volcano with a large fissure system under Vatnajökull, and activity is similar to the past week. This scattered background activity is within normal levels for the area and most closely resembles the period around January 20, 2025. Uplift measures approximately 71 mm/year according to GNSS data that are several weeks old, but results are automatic preliminary results. Further details on trends and uplift can be found lower on the page.2026-06-05 18:40:11 UTC
In the last 24 hours, 30 earthquakes were recorded in Bárðarbunga, a central volcano with a large fissure system under Vatnajökull, and activity is increasing above the weekly average. This is considered unusual activity for the area as the count is well above average and characterized by distributed background seismicity rather than swarms. Uplift is measured at approximately 71 mm/year, which is faster than the decadal average, though data are several weeks old and results are automatic preliminary results. The activity most resembles the period around January 20, 2025, and further details on trends and uplift can be found lower on the page.Repeated × 2 since 2026-06-05 11:00:11 — last 2026-06-05 13:40:12
In the last 24 hours, 26 earthquakes were recorded in Bárðarbunga, a central volcano with a large fissure system under Vatnajökull, and activity is similar to the past week. This scattered background activity is within normal levels for the area and most closely resembles the period around January 20, 2025. Uplift measures approximately 71 mm/year according to GNSS data that is several weeks old and shows faster uplift than the decadal average. Results are automatic preliminary results, and further information can be found lower on the page.2026-06-05 00:45:09 UTC
In the last 24 hours, 29 earthquakes were recorded in Bárðarbunga, a central volcano with a large fissure system under Vatnajökull, with activity similar to the past week but slightly higher than usual for this area. The increase consists mainly of distributed background activity rather than swarms and most closely resembles the period around September 3, 2024. Uplift is measured at approximately 71 mm/year, which is faster than the decadal average, though GNSS data are several weeks old and results are automatic preliminary results. Further charts and maps are available below.2026-06-04 18:35:13 UTC
In the last 24 hours, 16 earthquakes were recorded in Bárðarbunga, a central volcano with a large fissure system under Vatnajökull, and activity is similar to the past week. This scattered background activity is within normal levels for the area and most closely resembles the period around January 20, 2025. Uplift measures approximately 70 mm/year according to GNSS data that are several weeks old, but results are automatic preliminary results. Further information on maps and trends can be found lower on the page.2026-06-04 15:05:11 UTC
In the last 24 hours, 18 earthquakes were recorded in Bárðarbunga, a central volcano with a large fissure system under Vatnajökull, showing activity similar to the past week but slightly higher than usual for this area. The increase consists mainly of distributed background seismicity rather than swarms and most closely resembles the period around January 20, 2025. Uplift is measured at approximately 70 mm/year, which is faster than the decadal average, though GNSS data are several weeks old and results are automatic preliminary results. Further details on maps and trends can be found lower on the page.2026-06-04 10:15:12 UTC
In the last 24 hours, 13 earthquakes were recorded in Bárðarbunga, a central volcano with a large fissure system under Vatnajökull, with activity similar to the past week and within normal levels for this area. The increase is primarily due to distributed background activity rather than swarms, with the largest event at M2.2 and a cumulative magnitude of Mw 2.5. Uplift is measured at approximately 70 mm/year, which is faster than the decadal average, although GNSS data are several weeks old and results are automatic preliminary results. Activity most closely resembles the period around January 20, 2025, and further details on trends and uplift are available below.2026-06-04 04:00:17 UTC
In the last 24 hours, 14 earthquakes were recorded in Bárðarbunga, a central volcano with a large fissure system under Vatnajökull, and activity is similar to the past week. This scattered background activity is within normal levels for the area and most closely resembles the period around January 20, 2025. Uplift measures approximately 70 mm/year according to GNSS data that is several weeks old, indicating faster uplift than the decadal average of 38 mm/year. Results are automatic preliminary results, and further information can be found lower on the page.What do the numbers mean — and what should I do?
β (swarm signal): how high activity is versus the area's 2-year average. β above 2 means an ongoing swarm. It measures activity, not a forecast of a large quake.
Cumulative moment (Mw): the combined energy of the quakes in the period. Uplift (GNSS): whether the ground is rising or sinking, mm per year — the data are a few weeks old. Some systems (e.g. Svartsengi) deform in steps during eruption cycles rather than at a steady annual rate.
Swarm character is computed for a whole volcanic belt, not a single system — it describes the belt, not necessarily this one system.
What should I do? This is automatic monitoring for information — not an official warning. Follow official information from the Icelandic Met Office and Civil Protection (112).
Data: Icelandic Met Office (Skjálftalísa API), automatic preliminary results — may change. This is not an official warning. Official warnings: vedur.is and Civil Protection (112).