Iceland is dark, particularly during the winter months, primarily because of its high latitude.
The Impact of Iceland's High Latitude
Due to its geographical position far north on the globe, Iceland experiences significant variations in daylight throughout the year. This extreme tilt relative to the sun's path causes dramatic differences between summer and winter light levels.
Winter Darkness in Detail
The reference specifically highlights the effect of the country's high latitude during winter time. This means that:
- Days become shorter with significantly less light.
- For example, the longest day in the middle of December is only 5 hours of light maximum.
- During this period, sunrise is around 11 AM and sunset occurs between 3 and 4 PM.
This phenomenon explains why Iceland can experience such profound darkness during its winter season compared to locations further south.
