Bláfjöll Ski Area Continues to Struggle Amid Low Snowfall

2026-01-29 - 10:43

Record-low snowfall this winter has left the Bláfjöll ski area near Reykjavík with minimal natural snow, affecting operations and delaying a full opening of the slopes. Bláfjöll’s eight snow cannons began producing artificial snow in early December, but warm, wet weather prevented sustained coverage. Vísir reports that staff were prepared to open before Christmas, but three weeks of rain halted plans. What's the Story? Low precipitation recorded in Reykjavík during December and January Limited lift operations at Bláfjöll ski area this winter Snow coverage largely produced using eight snow cannons Children’s area opened briefly during colder period in January Full ski area opening date remains unclear Lowest January precipitation in Reykjavík area since 1959 Unusually Light Snow According to Einar Bjarnason, operations manager at Bláfjöll; “We were ready to open just before Christmas. Then a three-week rainy season came, so we couldn’t open then,” he said. Snowmaking resumed in January and a children’s area opened briefly, drawing strong local interest, but conditions deteriorated again. Einar, who began working at the area in 1981, said the snow present is artificial. “Everything here is made from snow guns.” Official data from the Icelandic Meteorological Office indicate unusually low precipitation this December and January in the capital region, limiting both natural snowfall and snowmaking effectiveness. Bláfjöll’s lifts have seen limited use this season and it remains unclear when full skiing operations can begin.