Iceland
weather, climate and best time to visit
Best time to visit Iceland
July and August, which are the hottest months in Iceland, have traditionally been the most preferred months for tourists to visit the country. And because there is continuous daylight in June, there are almost as many tourists as there are during the height of summer. However during this time of year, poor weather like heavy rain and strong winds may and does occur. Due to the unpredictable climate of the island, it is not uncommon for a single day to have elements of all four seasons.
Considering that Iceland's climate may maintain a comfortable temperature far into the first week of October, traveling there in September may be the best option. May also features more hours of daylight, making it ideal for outdoor excursions, and milder temperatures. However, this may not be the greatest time to visit if you are interested in visiting some of the more distant hills and fjords, since some roads are still blocked as they thaw from the snowy cover that they had over them over the winter.
The greatest time of year to go hiking in Iceland is during the summer, as this is the only season in which all of the mountain roads are passable and the majority of the country's most well-known paths are available.
When is the best time to see whales in Iceland?
The months of June and July are ideal for whale watching in Iceland. Northern Iceland has a longer season for seeing humpbacks, minkes, and dolphins, which cruise the Atlantic from May to August; some few humpbacks even stay until the end of the year. Blue whales also travel through in the summer.
Minke whales and dolphins can be seen near Reykjavik during the summer months, while orcas concentrate in West Iceland around the Snaefellsnes peninsula in the first part of the year.
When is the best time to visit the hot springs?
Hot water baths in Iceland are an important part of the Icelandic culture, providing both social and wellness advantages. The public pools in Reykjavik are available all year. Visit them in September or the first half of October, while they're still still reachable by mountain road but the tourist numbers have greatly decreased.
When visiting the Blue Lagoon, the world's most well-known geothermal spa, visitors will find less crowds by going in the off-seasons.
Offers for Iceland
In the table below you can quickly check the average weather in Iceland per month, the temperature per month or the period with the highest precipitation. Monthly average climate data is based on data from the last 30 years.
Weather data from: Reykjavík
Weather data from: Akureyri
Weather data from: Egilsstaðir
Weather data from: Ísafjörður
Travel and stay Iceland
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Airline tickets
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Iceland weather
The weather for Iceland over the next 14 days will be 36°F till 50° with several days chance of light rain showers or even quite a bit of rain. The water temperature will be 27°F.
The weather forecast for Iceland is based on the weather in Reykjavík.
5-day weather forecast Iceland
View the 14 day weather forecast for Iceland
Climate Iceland
Click on a region of Iceland to view the climate:
South Iceland (Reykjavík)
South Iceland has a tundra climate. It is cold here all year round. The average annual temperature for South Iceland is 14° degrees and there is about 123 inch of rain in a year. It is dry for 140 days a year with an average humidity of 80% and an UV-index of 2.
Weather data from: Reykjavík
North Iceland (Akureyri)
North Iceland has a tundra climate. It is cold here all year round. The average annual temperature for North Iceland is 7° degrees and there is about 288 inch of rain in a year. It is dry for 82 days a year with an average humidity of 88% and an UV-index of 1.
Weather data from: Akureyri
East Iceland (Egilsstaðir)
East Iceland has a tundra climate. It is cold here all year round. The average annual temperature for East Iceland is 10° degrees and there is about 320 inch of rain in a year. It is dry for 76 days a year with an average humidity of 85% and an UV-index of 2.
Weather data from: Egilsstaðir
West Iceland (Ísafjörður)
West Iceland has a tundra climate. It is cold here all year round. The average annual temperature for West Iceland is 9° degrees and there is about 198 inch of rain in a year. It is dry for 138 days a year with an average humidity of 86% and an UV-index of 2.
Weather data from: Ísafjörður
Iceland weather by month
What is the average Iceland weather like in a given month? Let's find out! Click on a month to check all the monthly averages for sunshine, temperature highs and lows, percentage chance of rain per day, snowfall accumulation and number of rainy days.
Iceland weather experiences
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Frequently asked questions
Where is Iceland?
Iceland lies in a straight line about 2,708 miles from United States (New York → Reykjavík). By car the distance is 2,277 miles. The total travel time is 87 hours.
How long is the flight to Iceland?
The flight time from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Iceland is approximately 9 h. 50 min.
Airline tickets
What are the largest airports in Iceland?
These are the largest airports in Iceland:
- Keflavik International Airport (KEF) in Reykjavík
- Reykjavik Airport (RKV) in Reykjavík
- Akureyri Airport (AEY) in Akureyri
- Ísafjörður Airport (IFJ) in Ísafjörður
- Egilsstaðir Airport (EGS) in Egilsstaðir
- Hornafjörður Airport (HFN) in Höfn
- Húsavík Airport (HZK) in Húsavík
How many inhabitants does Iceland have?
Iceland has 350,710 inhabitants.
How big is Iceland?
The surface area of Iceland is 64,004 mi². It is 4x smaller than United States.
What is the capital of Iceland?
The capital of Iceland is Reykjavík.
What is the currency of Iceland?
In Iceland, the Icelandic króna (ISK) is used for payment.
Exchange rates on 5 October 2022
- 1 US dollar = 135.86 Icelandic króna
- 1 Icelandic króna = 0.007 US dollar
- 100 US dollar = 13,585.99 Icelandic króna
- 100 Icelandic króna = 0.74 US dollar
What is the area code of Iceland?
The area code to call Iceland is +354.
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36°F
36°F
46°F
43°F