Winter
Dec → Feb-1 to 0°
nights -6 to -5°
- 17 rainy days · 159 mm
- 1.7 h of sun
- sea 5°
When is the best time to visit Iceland?
In short: June to August for open roads, the Highlands and days with almost no night; September to April for the northern lights. September combines the two best: the first northern lights return, the Golden Circle still sees 9 °C in the afternoon, but the Highland tracks start to close.
- Northern lights: From September to April, when the nights grow long and dark again; you need a clear sky and to get away from the lights of Reykjavik.
- Midnight sun: Around the June solstice, the days offer nearly 24 hours of light, leaving time for long evening hikes.
- The Highlands and Landmannalaugar: Above all in July and August: these plateaus stay under snow from September to May, sometimes longer, and their tracks are then impassable.
- Whale watching: From April to September, from Húsavík in the north or Reykjavik's old harbour, when humpback and minke whales feed close to the coast.
- Puffins: From May to mid-August on the cliffs, from the Westman Islands to Látrabjarg; most of the birds head back out to sea before September.
Best avoided: December and January for a trip around the island: only a few hours of daylight, -1 to 0 °C in the afternoon on the Golden Circle and frequent storms that disrupt journeys, even though the northern lights remain visible.
Sources: visiticeland.com, visiticeland.com, visiticeland.com
- Jan0°not recommended
- Feb0°fair
- Mar1°fair
- Apr5°fair
- May8°fair
- Jun12°recommended
- Jul14°recommended
- Aug13°recommended
- Sep9°recommended
- Oct5°fair
- Nov3°fair
- Dec-1°not recommended
RecommendedFairNot recommended· afternoon temperature
The weather in Iceland, month by month
The table of records, month by month
| Month | High | Low | Sunshine | Rainfall | Rainy days | Sea | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 0° | -6° | 1.4 h | 187 mm | 18 d | 6° | |
| February | 0° | -5° | 3 h | 162 mm | 17 d | 5° | |
| March | 1° | -4° | 5.8 h | 161 mm | 17 d | 6° | |
| April | 5° | -1° | 7.3 h | 132 mm | 15 d | 7° | |
| May | 8° | 3° | 9 h | 154 mm | 19 d | 8° | |
| June | 12° | 6° | 8.5 h | 131 mm | 17 d | 9° | ✓ |
| July | 14° | 8° | 9.1 h | 108 mm | 16 d | 11° | ✓ |
| August | 13° | 8° | 8.4 h | 151 mm | 16 d | 12° | ✓ |
| September | 9° | 4° | 5.6 h | 186 mm | 17 d | 10° | ✓ |
| October | 5° | 1° | 3.8 h | 127 mm | 15 d | 8° | |
| November | 3° | -2° | 1.9 h | 153 mm | 16 d | 7° | |
| December | -1° | -6° | 0.6 h | 129 mm | 15 d | 5° |
The four seasons in Iceland, in figures
What the 2015-2024 records (Golden Circle (Thingvellir)) show, season by season, to compare at a glance instead of reading twelve rows of a table.
Spring
Mar → May1 to 8°
nights -4 to 3°
- 17 rainy days · 149 mm
- 7.4 h of sun
- sea 7°
Summer
Jun → Aug12 to 14°
nights 6 to 8°
- 16 rainy days · 130 mm
- 8.7 h of sun
- sea 11°
Autumn
Sep → Nov3 to 9°
nights -2 to 4°
- 16 rainy days · 155 mm
- 3.8 h of sun
- sea 8°
Book early for June to September
The timing is right, so it is right for everyone: in these months the best places to stay and the small-group tours go first. Here is where to start.
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Daylight in Iceland, month by month
The time between sunrise and sunset, from shortest to longest. Not to be confused with the sunshine hours in the table above, which count clear skies. In June there are 21h07 of daylight, in December 4h07, a difference of 17h.
5h16Jan
8h23Feb
11h29Mar
14h58Apr
18h22May
21h07Jun
19h48Jul
16h23Aug
12h52Sep
9h32Oct
6h15Nov
4h07Dec
Calculated for the latitude of the reference point "Golden Circle (Thingvellir)" (64.26°). Values on the 15th of each month, local solar time.
What to do in Iceland, month by month
| Activity | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hiking | ||||||||||||
| Beach & swimming | ||||||||||||
| Towns & culture | ||||||||||||
| Long days | ||||||||||||
| Events | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
EventsMidnight sunJune to JulyÞjóðhátíð in the Westman IslandsAugustRéttir, the sheep round-upSeptemberNorthern lightsSeptember to MarchDetails ↓
favourablewith compromisesunfavourable
- Long days: April, May, June, July, August
Grid derived from the records (temperature, rainfall, sea), not from an opinion.
What's on in Iceland, month by month?
What comes back every year, and when. These events fill the hotels and push prices up: something to aim for or to avoid, depending on what you want.
- June to JulyMidnight sun big crowds
Around the solstice, night never really falls: late hikes, midnight golf and villages that stay up until dawn.
- AugustÞjóðhátíð in the Westman Islands big crowds
On the first weekend of August, the Westman Islands fill up for three days of singing under white tents and bonfires lit on the cliff.
- SeptemberRéttir, the sheep round-up
In September, the sheep come down from the highlands and are sorted by hand in circular pens, often open to visitors.
- September to MarchNorthern lights
From September to March, the nights are long enough to hope to see them, as long as you get away from the light glow of Reykjavík.
Travelling off-peak
Month by month, in detail
January
Not recommended0°-6° at night
- 187 mm · 18 d
- 1.4 h
- sea 6°
Low season, lower prices
February
Fair0°-5° at night
- 162 mm · 17 d
- 3 h
- sea 5°
Low season, lower prices
March
Fair1°-4° at night
- 161 mm · 17 d
- 5.8 h
- sea 6°
Low season, lower prices
April
Fair5°-1° at night
- 132 mm · 15 d
- 7.3 h
- sea 7°
Low season, lower prices
May
Fair8°3° at night
- 154 mm · 19 d
- 9 h
- sea 8°
Low season, lower prices
June
Recommended12°6° at night
- 131 mm · 17 d
- 8.5 h
- sea 9°
High season, book early
July
Recommended14°8° at night
- 108 mm · 16 d
- 9.1 h
- sea 11°
High season, book early
August
Recommended13°8° at night
- 151 mm · 16 d
- 8.4 h
- sea 12°
High season, book early
September
Recommended9°4° at night
- 186 mm · 17 d
- 5.6 h
- sea 10°
Busy, without the crush
October
Fair5°1° at night
- 127 mm · 15 d
- 3.8 h
- sea 8°
Low season, lower prices
November
Fair3°-2° at night
- 153 mm · 16 d
- 1.9 h
- sea 7°
Low season, lower prices
December
Not recommended-1°-6° at night
- 129 mm · 15 d
- 0.6 h
- sea 5°
Quiet, then the holidays
Read the twelve months in detail
January. Deep winter: 0 °C at the warmest of the day, -6 °C at night. A very wet month, 187 mm of rain over 18 days. Very little sun: 1.4 h a day on average. Sea at 6 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
February. Deep winter: 0 °C at the warmest of the day, -5 °C at night. Frequent rain: 162 mm over 17 days. Sunshine gets scarcer (3 h a day). Sea at 5 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
March. Deep winter: 1 °C at the warmest of the day, -4 °C at night. Frequent rain: 161 mm over 17 days. Sunshine gets scarcer (5.8 h a day). Sea at 6 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
April. Deep winter: 5 °C at the warmest of the day, -1 °C at night. Frequent rain: 132 mm over 15 days. Expect 7.3 h of sunshine a day. Sea at 7 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
May. Cool: 8 °C at best, 3 °C at night. Frequent rain: 154 mm over 19 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9 h a day on average. Sea at 8 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
June. Cool: 12 °C at best, 6 °C at night. Frequent rain: 131 mm over 17 days. Expect 8.5 h of sunshine a day. Sea at 9 °C, too cold to swim. High season: book early.
July. Cool: 14 °C at best, 8 °C at night. Frequent rain: 108 mm over 16 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9.1 h a day on average. Sea at 11 °C, too cold to swim. High season: book early.
August. Cool: 13 °C at best, 8 °C at night. Frequent rain: 151 mm over 16 days. Expect 8.4 h of sunshine a day. Sea at 12 °C, too cold to swim. High season: book early.
September. Cool: 9 °C at best, 4 °C at night. Frequent rain: 186 mm over 17 days. Sunshine gets scarcer (5.6 h a day). Sea at 10 °C, too cold to swim. Busy season, without the crush.
October. Deep winter: 5 °C at the warmest of the day, 1 °C at night. Frequent rain: 127 mm over 15 days. Sunshine gets scarcer (3.8 h a day). Sea at 8 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
November. Deep winter: 3 °C at the warmest of the day, -2 °C at night. Frequent rain: 153 mm over 16 days. Very little sun: 1.9 h a day on average. Sea at 7 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
December. Deep winter: -1 °C at the warmest of the day, -6 °C at night. A very wet month, 129 mm of rain over 15 days. Very little sun: 0.6 h a day on average. Sea at 5 °C, too cold to swim. Quiet at the start of the month, then busier as the holidays approach.
Same season, other ideas
Their best time overlaps with this one: worth comparing before you book.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Iceland?
June to August for open roads, the Highlands and days with almost no night; September to April for the northern lights. September combines the two best: the first northern lights return, the Golden Circle still sees 9 °C in the afternoon, but the Highland tracks start to close.
Which month should you avoid in Iceland?
December and January for a trip around the island: only a few hours of daylight, -1 to 0 °C in the afternoon on the Golden Circle and frequent storms that disrupt journeys, even though the northern lights remain visible.
What is the hottest month in Iceland?
July, with 14 °C on average in the afternoon and 8 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Golden Circle (Thingvellir)).
What is the coldest month in Iceland?
December, with -1 °C at best during the day and -6 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Golden Circle (Thingvellir)).
What is the driest month in Iceland?
July: 108 mm over 16 days of rain, against 187 mm in January, the wettest month.
Which month has the most sunshine in Iceland?
July, with 9.1 h of sunshine a day on average. Note that this counts clear skies, not the length of the day.
When can you swim in Iceland?
The water stays cool all year (warmest 12 °C in August, measured in 2023-2024 on the nearest coast, Seljalandsfoss): swimming is for the brave.
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