January in Reykjavik — the hardest end of the year
Hardest · 1.2/10At -1°C (30°F) this is proper winter weather in January: layer up and split the day between outdoor highlights and indoor stops.
170 mm of water-equivalent precipitation makes this a snowy month at resort level; what falls stays as snow, with almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 4.9 hours of daylight.
That is 1.2/10 on the same scale — 12th of 12 months, versus 7.6/10 for the best month here.
Budget for low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.
Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.
If your dates are flexible, July is materially better in Reykjavik — 6.4 points higher on the same scale.
February in Reykjavik — off-season conditions
Hardest · 1.8/10At -1°C (31°F) this is proper winter weather in February: layer up and split the day between outdoor highlights and indoor stops.
169 mm of water-equivalent precipitation makes this a snowy month at resort level; what falls stays as snow, with almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 8 hours of daylight.
That is 1.8/10 on the same scale — 10th of 12 months, versus 7.6/10 for the best month here.
Expect low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.
Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.
If your dates are flexible, July is materially better in Reykjavik — 5.8 points higher on the same scale.
March in Reykjavik — the hardest end of the year
Hardest · 2.8/10March averages 0°C (32°F), cold enough that sightseeing works in bursts rather than in one long day on foot.
At 136 mm of water-equivalent precipitation this is a snowy month at resort level — that is snowpack, not lost days — with almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 11.2 hours of daylight.
It scores 2.8/10 here, 8th of 12 months, against 7.6/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for low-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.
Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.
Flexible dates? July scores 4.8 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
April in Reykjavik — middling scores, decent value
Trade-offs · 5.5/10At 4°C (38°F) this is proper winter weather in April: layer up and split the day between outdoor highlights and indoor stops.
106 mm of rain signals a properly wet month, with only about 12 days with 6+ hours of sunshine to count on — build indoor options into the schedule.
That is 5.5/10 on the same scale — 5th of 12 months, versus 7.6/10 for the best month here.
Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.
If your dates are flexible, July is materially better in Reykjavik — 2.1 points higher on the same scale.
May in Reykjavik — middling scores, decent value
Trade-offs · 6.3/10May averages 7°C (44°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.
At 138 mm this is a genuinely wet month: about 17 days with 6+ hours of sunshine in total, and outdoor plans need an indoor fallback.
It scores 6.3/10 here, 3rd of 12 months, against 7.6/10 in the destination's best month.
Figure on mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.
June in Reykjavik: strong conditions, 2nd of 12
Good · 7.1/10Expect 9°C (48°F) in June. A good month for city streets, viewpoints and long meals; leave swimming for another season.
105 mm of rain signals a properly wet month, with only about 17 days with 6+ hours of sunshine to count on — build indoor options into the schedule.
That is 7.1/10 on the same scale — 2nd of 12 months, versus 7.6/10 for the best month here.
Budget for mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.
July in Reykjavik — the year's strongest window
Best window · 7.6/10Expect 11°C (51°F) in July. A good month for city streets, viewpoints and long meals; leave swimming for another season.
Budget for roughly 88 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with about 16 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 19.3 hours of daylight to work around it.
On our climate-comfort scale this is the top-ranked month of the year for Reykjavik at 7.6/10 — the reference point every other month on this page is measured against.
Expect peak pricing, and this is one of the busiest months here. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer, footwear you can get muddy.
August in Reykjavik — workable with trade-offs
Trade-offs · 6.2/10August averages 10°C (51°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.
At 127 mm this is a genuinely wet month: about 9 days with 6+ hours of sunshine in total, and outdoor plans need an indoor fallback.
It scores 6.2/10 here, 4th of 12 months, against 7.6/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for peak pricing, with this is one of the busiest months here.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.
September in Reykjavik: expect compromises
Hardest · 4.7/10September averages 8°C (46°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.
At 128 mm this is a genuinely wet month: almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine in total, and outdoor plans need an indoor fallback.
It scores 4.7/10 here, 6th of 12 months, against 7.6/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.
Flexible dates? July scores 2.9 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
October in Reykjavik — the hardest end of the year
Hardest · 3.2/10At 4°C (39°F) this is proper winter weather in October: layer up and split the day between outdoor highlights and indoor stops.
130 mm of rain signals a properly wet month, with only almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine to count on — build indoor options into the schedule.
That is 3.2/10 on the same scale — 7th of 12 months, versus 7.6/10 for the best month here.
Expect low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.
Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.
If your dates are flexible, July is materially better in Reykjavik — 4.4 points higher on the same scale.
November in Reykjavik — off-season conditions
Hardest · 2.4/10At 2°C (36°F) this is proper winter weather in November: layer up and split the day between outdoor highlights and indoor stops.
110 mm of rain signals a properly wet month, with only almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine to count on — build indoor options into the schedule.
That is 2.4/10 on the same scale — 9th of 12 months, versus 7.6/10 for the best month here.
Expect low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.
Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.
If your dates are flexible, July is materially better in Reykjavik — 5.2 points higher on the same scale.
December in Reykjavik — off-season conditions
Hardest · 1.3/10December averages -2°C (28°F), cold enough that sightseeing works in bursts rather than in one long day on foot.
At 129 mm of water-equivalent precipitation this is a snowy month at resort level — that is snowpack, not lost days — with almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 3.6 hours of daylight.
It scores 1.3/10 here, 11th of 12 months, against 7.6/10 in the destination's best month.
Figure on low-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.
Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.
Flexible dates? July scores 6.3 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
