Weather in Iceland in December
What December is like
December is the darkest month: around the solstice Reykjavík gets four hours of daylight and the sun barely clears the mountains. Storms are frequent and roads can close, but Christmas lights fill the towns, and New Year's Eve fireworks over Reykjavík are unlike anywhere else.
Plan around the light — sights between eleven and three — and keep a buffer day for storms around the holidays.
- Warmest
- 12.0°
- 14 December 1997
- Coldest
- -16.8°
- 28 December 1961
Icelandic Met Office measurements since 1949
Typical in Reykjavík
Measured by the Icelandic Met Office, 1991–2020
- Typical high
- 3°
- Typical low
- -2°
- Feels like (avg)
- -4°
- Average wind
- 5 m/s
- Days with rain or snow
- 15
- Precipitation
- 95 mm
- Days with snow or sleet
- 14
- Days with gales (over 17 m/s)
- 2
- Sunshine
- 13 hours
- Daylight
- 5 h 0 min → 4 h 21 min
- Sunrise / Sunset (15.)
- 11:16 – 15:29
Around the country
Averages measured by the Icelandic Met Office, 1991–2020 unless noted
| Place | Typical low – Typical high | Days with rain or snow | Snow days | Precipitation | Average wind | Gale days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reykjavík | -2°3° | 15 | 14 | 95 mm | 5 m/s | 2 |
| Keflavík (Airport) | -1°4° | 17 | 16 | 113 mm | 8 m/s | 7 |
| Vík Vatnsskarðshólar · 9 km | 0°5° | 18 | 13 | 164 mm | 7 m/s | 9 |
| Akureyri | -4°3° | 12 | 14 | 73 mm | 4 m/s | 1 |
| Höfn Hólar í Hornafirði · 5 km | -1°4° | 14 | 7 | 173 mm | 6 m/s | 4 |
| Egilsstaðir | -5°3° | 11 | 9 | 69 mm | 5 m/s | 2 |
| Selfoss Eyrarbakki · 11 km | -3°3° | 17 | 12 | 145 mm | 8 m/s | 5 |
| Ísafjörður 1998–2020 | -3°3° | 17 | 15 | 126 mm | 5 m/s | 1 |
| Þingvellir 1996–2020 | -5°3° | 13 | – | 113 mm | 4 m/s | 2 |
| Jökulsárlón Fagurhólsmýri · 30 km | -2°4° | 17 | 10 | 182 mm | 8 m/s | 9 |
| Mývatn Reykjahlíð · 6 km | -7°0° | 10 | 12 | 39 mm | 5 m/s | 4 |
| Vestmannaeyjar Stórhöfði · 5 km | 0°4° | 19 | 14 | 171 mm | 12 m/s | 21 |
Daylight through the year
Hours of daylight in Reykjavík; this month highlighted
What to pack
For a typical day out, judged on the average feels-like and wind
- Wool sweater
- Waterproof shell
- Warm hat
- Gloves
- Rain trousers
- No umbrella
Questions visitors ask
What is the weather like in Iceland in December?
In Reykjavík the average temperature is 0.8 °C, usually between -2 and 3 °C. Expect rain or snow on about 15 days (around 95 mm), with snow or sleet on about 14 of them. The average wind is 5.1 m/s and gales blow on about 2 days; in the wind it feels closer to -4 °C. These are the Icelandic Met Office's measurements for 1991–2020.
How cold does it get in Iceland in December?
On a typical December day Reykjavík sees -2 to 3 °C. The warmest December temperature the Icelandic Met Office has measured there since 1949 is 12 °C (14 December 1997), the coldest -16.8 °C (28 December 1961).
How many hours of daylight does Iceland get in December?
Reykjavík has 5 h 0 min of daylight at the start of December and 4 h 21 min by the end.
Can you see the northern lights in Iceland in December?
Yes — the nights are dark enough. You need a clear sky, darkness away from town lights and some solar activity.
What should I pack for Iceland in December?
For a typical day: wool sweater, waterproof shell, warm hat, gloves, rain trousers. Skip the umbrella — the wind makes it useless.