Weather
Updated · BootsnAll
Thanks to the warm waters of the Gulf Stream, Iceland is much milder than its name and latitude suggest. The glaciers and the interior are cold all year, but coastal towns like Reykjavik are mild, if windy. Reykjavik's average January temperature is 0.7°C, about the same as New York's Central Park (0.9°C), and New York's January nights are actually a little colder.
What Iceland does have is weather that changes fast. Sun, sideways rain and sleet in the same afternoon is normal, and the wind is what catches visitors out. Dress in layers (see our packing list) and check the forecast every day.
Where to check the forecast
- vedur.is, the Icelandic Met Office, has forecasts, wind maps and colour-coded weather warnings. Take a yellow or orange wind warning seriously if you're driving.
- umferdin.is shows road conditions and closures.
- safetravel.is posts alerts for hikers and drivers, and its app can send your location to 112.
- The Met Office's aurora forecast combines cloud cover with auroral activity, which is what you need for northern lights hunting.
Iceland's seasons
Winter (November to March)
From November, the days shrink fast. By the December solstice, the sun doesn't rise in Reykjavik until about 11:20am and sets around 3:30pm, which leaves about four hours of daylight. Daytime highs hover around 3°C and nights dip just below freezing. The bigger problems are wind, storms that close roads, and ice on every pavement. Reykjavik averages about 12 days of snow in each of January and February. The upside: long nights for the northern lights, and soaking outdoors in a hot pool while it snows.
Spring (April and May)
Spring is a tease. Warm, bright days alternate with wintry ones as the temperatures slowly rise. It's also one of the drier times of year, and May is the sunniest month in Reykjavik, with about 209 hours of sunshine on average. By mid-May the sun is up for more than 18 hours. See Iceland in spring.
Summer (June to August)
Summer more than makes up for the dark months. It never gets hot: July, the warmest month, averages a high of about 15°C in Reykjavik. But it's warm enough on a still day to go without a jacket, as long as you have one in your bag. Around the June solstice, the sun sets in Reykjavik around midnight and rises again before 3am, and it never gets fully dark. June is also the driest month. Read about the midnight sun and Iceland in summer.
Fall (September and October)
Temperatures drop and the rain returns in September, which averages 87 mm in Reykjavik. October highs are around 8°C. The nights are dark again by then, so fall is the start of northern lights season. See Iceland in fall.
Reykjavik weather by month
These are the 1991 to 2020 climate normals for Reykjavik from the Icelandic Met Office (station data here). An earlier version of this page had January's high and low reversed and used older figures. The north and east are colder in winter, and the south coast is wetter.
| Month | Avg high | Avg low | Precipitation | Sunshine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 3.2°C | -1.7°C | 87 mm | 23 hrs |
| February | 3.3°C | -1.9°C | 91 mm | 62 hrs |
| March | 4.2°C | -1.3°C | 81 mm | 110 hrs |
| April | 6.9°C | 1.0°C | 59 mm | 165 hrs |
| May | 10.1°C | 4.0°C | 53 mm | 209 hrs |
| June | 13.0°C | 7.2°C | 43 mm | 190 hrs |
| July | 14.9°C | 9.1°C | 50 mm | 183 hrs |
| August | 14.1°C | 8.6°C | 65 mm | 165 hrs |
| September | 11.4°C | 6.2°C | 87 mm | 118 hrs |
| October | 7.6°C | 2.7°C | 80 mm | 92 hrs |
| November | 4.7°C | -0.1°C | 87 mm | 40 hrs |
| December | 3.3°C | -1.6°C | 95 mm | 13 hrs |
Sunshine is the average number of hours of bright sun in the month, not daylight. December's 13 hours is not a typo.
Daylight by month
Daylight is the other thing to plan around, and one people often forget. Short winter days limit how far you can drive and how much you can see, and the endless summer days can wreck your sleep. Times below are approximate sunrise and sunset in Reykjavik on the 15th of each month. Iceland stays on GMT all year, so there's no daylight saving shift. For exact times on your dates, use timeanddate.com.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 10:55am | 4:20pm | 5.5 hrs |
| February | 9:25am | 6:00pm | 8.5 hrs |
| March | 7:50am | 7:30pm | 11.5 hrs |
| April | 6:00am | 9:00pm | 15 hrs |
| May | 4:15am | 10:35pm | 18.5 hrs |
| June | 3:00am | midnight | 21 hrs |
| July | 3:40am | 11:25pm | 20 hrs |
| August | 5:20am | 9:45pm | 16.5 hrs |
| September | 6:50am | 7:55pm | 13 hrs |
| October | 8:15am | 6:10pm | 10 hrs |
| November | 9:55am | 4:30pm | 6.5 hrs |
| December | 11:15am | 3:30pm | 4 hrs |
Twilight stretches these out. In winter, there's usable light for a while before sunrise and after sunset, and from late May to late July Reykjavik never gets fully dark.
FAQ
What is the warmest month in Iceland?
July, with August close behind. Reykjavik's average July high is 14.9°C, and its record high is 25.7°C.
What is the wettest month in Reykjavik?
December, with about 95 mm on average, followed by February. June is the driest.
Does the weather affect when I should visit?
Yes, especially if you want to drive the highlands or the Westfjords. Our guide to when to go to Iceland covers seasons, crowds and prices.
Photo by WanderingtheWorld