Eyjafjallajökull
Seismicity by period · derived statistics from Skjálftalísa (Icelandic Met Office)
Status (automatic)
No particular signs of unrest in the last 24 hours — 0 earthquakes recorded, within the system's normal range.🕰️ Last eruption / event — 16 years ago
The 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption (2010-05-22). Largest aviation closure in Europe since WWII — 100,000 flights cancelled in 6 days. Eyjafjallajökull erupts rarely (previously 1821–23) — next eruption uncertain.
Central volcano beneath the namesake glacier. The 2010 eruption produced an ash cloud that disrupted air travel across Europe. Erupts rarely (previously 1821–23). (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?
Historical pattern: Eyjafjallajökull eruptions have almost always been followed by Katla within 1-2 years (1612→1625, 1821→1823). After 2010, however, Katla has been quiet for 16 years — unusual. The 2010 eruption halted 107,000 flights over Europe across 8 days (the largest aviation closure in Europe since WWII).
Historical eruptions in the system — points colored by size, blue circle shows where we are now in time.
❓ What if Eyjafjallajökull erupts again?
Timeline: The 2010 eruption took ~3 months of buildup (GPS uplift + seismicity). Current monitoring should give days-to-weeks warning. Ash: 2010 produced very fine-grained ash that stayed high in the atmosphere. 100,000 flights cancelled over 6 days across Europe — largest aviation closure since WWII. Jökulhlaup: Markarfljót onto its floodplain. Peak ~5,000-15,000 m³/s. Ring Road and Markarfljót bridge at risk. Settlements: None directly at risk (none within 10 km), but Hvolsvöllur and Vík may lose air quality. Eyjafjallajökull erupts rarely — last 1821-23, prior 1612. Next eruption uncertain but likely not in coming decades. Sources: 2010 eruption, Gudmundsson et al. 2010 (JGR).
This is not a forecast. Based on historical experience and official hazard assessments from the Met Office / Civil Protection.
Points = earthquake locations in the selected window, coloured by magnitude: ● M3+ · ● M2+ · ● smaller (a sample if more than 800).
Earthquakes
0
Largest
–
M3,0+
0
Depth range
–
Earthquakes over time
Cumulative count · 0 earthquakes · count moment
Depth (0 km at top).
Not enough depth data.
Magnitude distribution
Earthquakes
0
Largest
–
M3,0+
0
Depth range
–
Earthquakes over time
Cumulative count · 0 earthquakes · count moment
Depth (0 km at top).
Not enough depth data.
Magnitude distribution
Earthquakes
16
Largest
M2.2
M3,0+
0
Depth range
1–12 km
Earthquakes over time
Cumulative count · 16 earthquakes · total moment ≈ M2.2 · 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
32
Largest
M2.2
M3,0+
0
Depth range
0–12 km
Earthquakes over time
Cumulative count · 32 earthquakes · total moment ≈ M2.3 · 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.
Earthquakes
107
Largest
M3.0
M3,0+
2
Depth range
0–25 km
Earthquakes over time
Cumulative count · 107 earthquakes · total moment ≈ M3.3 · 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.
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
220
Largest
M3.0
M3,0+
3
Depth range
0–25 km
Earthquakes over time
Cumulative count · 220 earthquakes · total moment ≈ M3.4 · 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.
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.
🌊 Volcanic tremor — Baseline tremor is currently normal with fluctuations explained by moderate wind and ocea…
IMO tremor plot (station esk). Most of the signal is weather and surf — not eruption confirmation. All stations: vedur.is.
Weather now: waves 1.2 m — moderate.
Baseline tremor is currently normal with fluctuations explained by moderate wind and ocean wave activity. (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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-08 06:44 | M0.8 | 5.3 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-06-07 23:42 | M2.2 | 2.4 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-06-07 22:52 | M1.1 | 5.2 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-06-07 22:22 | M0.9 | 5.2 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-06-07 21:50 | M0.2 | 11.5 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-06-07 20:26 | M1.2 | 8.1 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-06-07 20:22 | M1.1 | 11.3 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-06-07 13:17 | M0.9 | 5.2 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-06-07 12:31 | M-0.7 | 5.2 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-06-07 10:44 | M0.3 | 5.2 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-06-07 08:27 | M1.1 | 6.0 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-06-07 07:45 | M1.2 | 1.1 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-06-07 07:32 | M-0.5 | 5.2 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-06-07 05:34 | M1.0 | 5.2 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-06-04 20:19 | M-0.2 | 2.8 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-06-03 17:59 | M0.4 | 5.5 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-06-02 13:39 | M0.5 | 3.6 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-06-02 04:54 | M1.1 | 5.1 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-06-01 16:28 | M0.2 | 1.1 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-06-01 12:05 | M1.5 | 1.1 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-06-01 03:55 | M1.8 | 5.2 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-05-29 04:52 | M0.7 | 2.5 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-05-28 19:00 | M0.2 | 5.6 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-05-26 00:20 | M0.8 | 1.8 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-05-23 23:18 | M0.8 | 1.1 | Mýrdalsjökull (Katla) |
| 2026-05-22 17:23 | M0.7 | 2.0 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-05-22 15:08 | M1.3 | 0.2 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-05-22 08:51 | M0.7 | 6.1 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-05-19 16:51 | M0.5 | 5.2 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-05-13 07:00 | M0.9 | 5.2 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-05-13 00:31 | M0.2 | 1.1 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-05-12 10:10 | M0.1 | 5.1 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-05-10 22:46 | M0.7 | 1.1 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-05-02 20:54 | M0.2 | 16.2 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-05-01 18:01 | M0.2 | 3.2 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-04-26 01:16 | M0.1 | 3.6 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-04-26 01:11 | M0.3 | 4.1 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-04-23 15:22 | M0.5 | 6.3 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-04-17 23:46 | M0.4 | 6.6 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-03-25 13:34 | M0.2 | 1.1 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-03-17 06:00 | M0.5 | 5.2 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-03-11 03:22 | M0.2 | 5.2 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-02-21 21:58 | M1.5 | 5.2 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-02-20 21:32 | M0.4 | 5.8 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-02-20 17:53 | M1.9 | 5.2 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-02-20 04:54 | M0.6 | 5.2 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-02-20 04:39 | M1.8 | 5.2 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-02-20 04:38 | M1.5 | 5.2 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-02-20 04:24 | M1.8 | 4.3 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-02-20 01:46 | M0.6 | 5.2 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-02-12 06:02 | M0.0 | 0.6 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-02-12 04:47 | M0.2 | 6.5 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-02-11 08:07 | M0.8 | 5.2 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-02-11 06:01 | M1.2 | 1.1 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-02-03 21:23 | M0.6 | 2.1 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-01-31 11:56 | M3.0 | 5.2 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-01-06 21:39 | M2.2 | 4.3 | Önnur svæði |
| 2026-01-01 15:06 | – | 3.7 | Önnur svæði |
| 2025-12-28 13:59 | – | 3.6 | Önnur svæði |
| 2025-12-25 00:03 | – | 5.3 | Önnur svæði |
System journal
Automatic snapshots and media coverage, in chronological order. Subscribe: RSS · ntfy
skjalftar-eyjafjallajokull2026-06-08 21:40:04 UTC
In the last 24 hours, five earthquakes were recorded in the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic system, a central volcano beneath the glacier of the same name, with activity now increasing and above normal for this area. This reflects distributed background activity rather than swarms, with the largest event at Mw 2.2 and a β-value of 4.2. The activity most closely resembles the period around April 8, 2025, though results are automatic preliminary findings. Further details on trends and maps are available below.Repeated × 2 since 2026-06-08 13:20:04 — last 2026-06-08 19:20:04
In the last 24 hours, seven earthquakes were recorded in the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic system, a central volcano beneath the glacier of the same name, with activity now increasing and above normal levels for this area. The increase is primarily due to distributed background activity rather than swarms, with the largest event at magnitude M2.2 and a cumulative moment of Mw 2.2 over the past 48 hours. Activity most closely resembles the period around April 8, 2025, though these figures are automatic preliminary results. Further details on trends and ground deformation are available below.2026-06-08 10:45:04 UTC
In the last 24 hours, nine earthquakes were recorded at Eyjafjallajökull, a central volcano beneath the glacier of the same name, with activity increasing at a frequency considerably higher than usual for this area. The increase is characterized by distributed background activity rather than swarms and most closely resembles the period around April 8, 2025, though these are automatic preliminary results. The largest earthquake was M2.2 and the cumulative magnitude over 48 hours was Mw 2.2. Further charts and maps are available below.2026-06-08 07:50:04 UTC
In the last 24 hours, 11 earthquakes were recorded in the Eyjafjallajökull system, a central volcano under the glacier of the same name, indicating activity significantly above the area's usual background level. The increase consists primarily of distributed background activity rather than swarms, with the largest event at Mw 2.2 and a β-value of 7.1. These automatic preliminary results most closely resemble the period around April 8, 2025, in terms of event count. Further charts and maps are available below.2026-06-08 05:35:04 UTC
In the last 24 hours, 12 earthquakes were recorded at Eyjafjallajökull, a central volcano under a glacier, indicating activity significantly above the usual level for this area. This increase is characterized by distributed background seismicity rather than swarms and most closely resembles the period around April 8, 2025. The largest event was M2.2, and these are automatic preliminary results. Further details on trends and maps are available below.2026-06-07 22:30:05 UTC
In the last 24 hours, 11 earthquakes were recorded at Eyjafjallajökull, representing unusually high activity for this area and an increase from previous periods. The activity is characterized by distributed background seismicity rather than swarms and most closely resembles the period around April 8, 2025. The largest earthquake was M1.2 with a cumulative magnitude of Mw 1.6 over the past 48 hours; results are automatic preliminary data. Further details on trends and maps are available below.2026-06-07 20:30:05 UTC
In the last 24 hours, nine earthquakes were recorded at Eyjafjallajökull, a central volcano beneath the glacier of the same name, with activity now increasing and above normal for this area. The increase is primarily due to distributed background seismicity rather than swarms, with the largest event at M1.2 and a cumulative magnitude of Mw 1.6 over the past 48 hours. These automatic preliminary results most closely resemble the period around April 8, 2025, and further data on trends and crustal deformation are available below.2026-06-07 10:55:04 UTC
In the last 24 hours, five earthquakes were recorded in the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic system, a central volcano beneath the glacier of the same name, with activity increasing above the usual background level for this area. The increase is primarily due to distributed background activity rather than swarms, with the largest event at M1.2 and a cumulative magnitude of Mw 1.4 over the past 48 hours. These automatic preliminary results most closely resemble the period around July 7, 2025, in terms of event count. Further charts and maps are available below.2026-06-07 08:45:04 UTC
In the last 24 hours, four earthquakes were recorded in the Eyjafjallajökull system, a central volcano under the glacier of the same name, and an increase above the weekly average indicates that activity is increasing. This scattered background activity remains within normal levels for the area and most closely resembles the period around July 5, 2025. The cumulative magnitude of the largest events in the last 48 hours was Mw 1.4, though results are automatic preliminary results. Further charts and maps are available below.Repeated × 2 since 2026-06-01 16:33:01 — last 2026-06-02 05:05:14
In the last 24 hours, three earthquakes were recorded at Eyjafjallajökull, a central volcano under the glacier of the same name, with activity now increasing above the usual background level for this area. The increase is primarily due to distributed background activity rather than swarms, and the largest event was M1.8 with a cumulative magnitude of Mw 1.9. This automatic preliminary result most closely resembles the period around March 31, 2025, while further data on trends and land uplift are available below.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).