Iceland prepares for total solar eclipse amid uncertain weather

Visitors and residents are converging on Iceland's remote Westfjords to observe the total solar eclipse expected on Wednesday, although meteorological forecasts predict thick clouds and rain. The eclipse’s path of totality will pass over eastern Greenland, western Iceland and northern Spain, with the Westfjords offering the longest period of darkness in the country, close to two minutes.

Local authorities have taken measures to accommodate the influx, including grading gravel roads, expanding mobile phone coverage and deploying portable toilets. Accommodation options have been fully booked well in advance, often at rates significantly higher than normal.

"The Icelandic weather doesn't really allow you to make plans ahead of time," said amateur astronomer Diego Ragnar Angemi, a resident of the Westfjords.

Hotelier Birna Mjoll Atladottir, whose lodge is near popular viewing cliffs, has stocked supplies for an extended period and cleared nearby fields for campers, though she is uncertain about the number of visitors. Police and emergency services are also on standby to manage traffic and safety.

In Spain, authorities plan to deploy 35,000 police officers to mitigate wildfire risks associated with the expected surge of tourists.