Sumardagurinn fyrsti - the first day of summer in Iceland. It is celebrated the first Thursday after 18 April and nowadays a public holiday. In Iceland we differentiate only between the two seasons winter and summer, both with a duration of 6 months. This is because the traditionally used Old Norse calendar (brought by the Vikings) was only divided into this two seasons.
It is said that if you put a small bowl with water in front of the window the evening before sumardagurinn fyrsti and in the morning it is covered by a layer of ice, a great summer is ahead. And in a less romantic way: If temperature drops below zero the night before the first day of summer it's gonna be a good summer.
Depending whom you trust it was beween 1 to -1 degrees so we do have all the chances for a fantastic summer!
