Extratropical cyclone formed from Hurricane Isaias strikes Iceland

The remnants of Hurricane Isaias have transformed into a powerful extratropical cyclone in the North Atlantic, bringing destructive weather to Iceland and parts of northern Europe. After making landfall in Florida as a Category 2 storm on October 9, 2026, the system moved across the eastern United States and into the North Atlantic, where it encountered the jet stream.

As the storm moved into cooler latitudes, it underwent a dramatic transformation into an extratropical cyclone. The system experienced rapid intensification, with air pressure dropping by more than 50 hectopascals in 24 hours—nearly double the threshold for bombogenesis. Meteorologists suggest the storm may have set a new October record for low barometric pressure in Iceland, potentially breaking a record dating back to 1963.

The cyclone lashed Iceland with extreme winds, including a gust of 205 kilometers per hour (128 mph) recorded near the Eyjafjallajökull volcano. In northwestern Scotland, wind gusts reached 90 kilometers per hour (55 mph), leading to ferry cancellations. The storm also brought sleet and snow to northern Iceland.