PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY 291 



southern side, while fogs, with sleet and cold, extend from Hiina- 

 floi to the plateaus north of Langjokull. In a similar manner the 

 mountain ranges on Reykjanes and Sngefellsnes exert great influence 

 upon the local weather-conditions in the districts on either side of 

 them. Apart from this, the weather often varies greatly in the dif- 

 ferent parts of the coast a storm may be blowing on the south 

 coast, while it is calm on the north coast. Northerly winds usually 

 bring snow or rain to North Iceland, while they bring clear weather 

 upon the south coast; southerly winds bring rain or snow-squalls 

 to South Iceland and almost always an overcast sky, while simul- 

 taneously it is clear weather in North Iceland. The weather may 

 differ in the tjords: a storm may be blowing out of the fjord, while 

 it is calm outside, and vice versa. Sudden and strong gusts of wind 

 blowing down from the mountains are often dangerous in some 

 fjords, and in mountainous districts, highly intersected by valleys 

 and ravines, the conditions of weather in the different districts are 

 very capricious. On the whole, the weather-conditions on Iceland 

 are very variable and unreliable in character. 



