Weather in Iceland in January
What January is like
January is the heart of winter: short days, long nights and a parade of Atlantic lows. In the south and west it swings between rain, sleet and snow; the north and the highlands stay colder and whiter. Storms can close roads for a day at a time, and on clear nights the aurora has hours of darkness to play in.
Plan driving days with slack, check umferdin.is every morning, and bring ice cleats — pavements are glazed more often than not.
- Warmest
- 10.7°
- 4 January 2013
- Coldest
- -19.7°
- 30 January 1971
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
- 87 mm
- Days with snow or sleet
- 14
- Days with gales (over 17 m/s)
- 2
- Sunshine
- 23 hours
- Daylight
- 4 h 25 min → 7 h 3 min
- Sunrise / Sunset (15.)
- 10:54 – 16:20
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 | 87 mm | 5 m/s | 2 |
| Keflavík (Airport) | -1°3° | 17 | 15 | 106 mm | 8 m/s | 8 |
| Vík Vatnsskarðshólar · 9 km | 0°4° | 19 | 13 | 167 mm | 8 m/s | 9 |
| Akureyri | -3°3° | 11 | 16 | 60 mm | 4 m/s | 1 |
| Höfn Hólar í Hornafirði · 5 km | -1°4° | 15 | 7 | 175 mm | 6 m/s | 5 |
| Egilsstaðir | -5°3° | 11 | 9 | 73 mm | 5 m/s | 3 |
| Selfoss Eyrarbakki · 11 km | -3°3° | 18 | 12 | 139 mm | 8 m/s | 6 |
| Ísafjörður 1998–2020 | -3°3° | 17 | 16 | 110 mm | 5 m/s | 2 |
| Þingvellir 1996–2020 | -5°2° | 13 | – | 120 mm | 5 m/s | 2 |
| Jökulsárlón Fagurhólsmýri · 30 km | -2°4° | 15 | 10 | 171 mm | 8 m/s | 10 |
| Mývatn Reykjahlíð · 6 km | -7°0° | 10 | 12 | 42 mm | 5 m/s | 5 |
| Vestmannaeyjar Stórhöfði · 5 km | 0°4° | 19 | 13 | 164 mm | 13 m/s | 22 |
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 January?
In Reykjavík the average temperature is 0.7 °C, usually between -2 and 3 °C. Expect rain or snow on about 15 days (around 87 mm), with snow or sleet on about 14 of them. The average wind is 5.3 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 January?
On a typical January day Reykjavík sees -2 to 3 °C. The warmest January temperature the Icelandic Met Office has measured there since 1949 is 10.7 °C (4 January 2013), the coldest -19.7 °C (30 January 1971).
How many hours of daylight does Iceland get in January?
Reykjavík has 4 h 25 min of daylight at the start of January and 7 h 3 min by the end.
Can you see the northern lights in Iceland in January?
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 January?
For a typical day: wool sweater, waterproof shell, warm hat, gloves, rain trousers. Skip the umbrella — the wind makes it useless.