AI-generatedAkureyri at a glance
- Best time
- May – Jun
- Warmest month
- Jul · 14°
- Warmest sea
- Aug · 9.4°
- Sunshine a year
- 1,050 h
- Rain a year
- 1,228 mm
- Climate
- Continental
- Time zone
- UTC+0
- Elevation
- 0 m
Climate in Akureyri
Akureyri has warm to hot summers and cold winters with occasional snow. July is the warmest month with average highs of 14 °C, while January is the coolest at −1 °C. With around 1,050 hours of sunshine a year, Akureyri is rather dull; June is the sunniest month with 6.3 hours a day.
Holiday weather through the year
Weather in October
Holiday weather in October
Poor
Best time to visit: May – June
Keep in mindFrequent rainSnow
A typical day in October
- Morning, 08:00: about 0°
- Midday, 13:00: about 4°
- Afternoon, 16:00: about 4°
- Evening, 20:00: about 2°
- Night, 23:00: about 1°
08:0417:52
Cold evenings: bring a warm jacket.
Estimated from the average high and low: coolest around sunrise, warmest in mid-afternoon.
Light for photos in October
- Golden hour
- Morning 07:32–09:19 · evening 16:37–18:24
- Blue hour
- Morning 07:12–07:32 · evening 18:24–18:43
Golden hour: the sun between 4° below and 6° above the horizon; blue hour: 6° to 4° below it. Times for the 15th of the month; mountains and clouds shift the light.
What is the weather like in Akureyri in October?
In October, Akureyri is cold: daytime highs average 4 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (0 °C). The sea averages 6.5 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 2 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 19 days, totalling 151 mm. Snow falls on about 11 days. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Akureyri.
More details for October
- Daylight
- 9 h 48 min08:04 – 17:52
- UV index
- 0 · lowclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 0 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
- Wind
- 20 km/haverage daily peakAll months
- Cloud cover
- 82 %on averageAll months
- Hot days
- 0 days30 °C or more
- Snow days
- 11 days1 cm or more of fresh snowAll months
- Time zone
- UTC+0Atlantic/Reykjavik
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 35 %0 %
- Seaweight 25 %0 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %0 %
- Few rainy daysweight 20 %0 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “Sun, sea & sand”.
What to pack in October
- Warm jacket
- Hat, scarf & gloves
- Rain jacket or umbrella
Sea temperature in Akureyri
Monthly sea surface temperature with the range of cooler and warmer years.
8 in 10 years: 5.4 – 7.7 °C
Swimming season: Never above 20 °C
- cold
- fresh
- refreshing
- pleasant
- warm
- very warm
The sea temperature in Akureyri ranges from 2.8 °C in March to 9.4 °C in August. Even at its warmest the sea stays below 20 °C, so swimming is bracing at best.
The sea warms up slowly: it is warmest in August, while the air already peaks in July. From October to April the sea is even warmer than the afternoon air. The sea temperature varies from year to year: in August, eight out of ten years were between 8.4 and 10.8 °C.
| Month | Average | Cool year | Warm year | Feels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 3.6° | 2.7° | 4.4° | cold |
| FebruaryFeb | 3.1° | 2.2° | 4.0° | cold |
| MarchMar | 2.8° | 1.8° | 3.6° | cold |
| AprilApr | 3.2° | 2.2° | 4.0° | cold |
| MayMay | 4.7° | 3.6° | 5.6° | cold |
| JuneJun | 7.1° | 5.6° | 8.3° | cold |
| JulyJul | 8.9° | 7.4° | 10.1° | cold |
| AugustAug | 9.4° | 8.4° | 10.8° | cold |
| SeptemberSep | 8.2° | 7.4° | 9.3° | cold |
| OctoberOct | 6.5° | 5.4° | 7.7° | cold |
| NovemberNov | 5.3° | 4.2° | 6.2° | cold |
| DecemberDec | 4.5° | 3.2° | 5.3° | cold |
Sunshine hours in Akureyri
Average hours of bright sunshine per day, next to the length of the day. Tap a month to select it.
In October, the sun shines for about 1.5 of 9.8 hours of daylight in Akureyri, 15 % of the day.
Sunshine hours: measured at the weather station 1 km away, averages 1991–2020 (WMO climate normals). Daylight is the time from sunrise to sunset on the 15th of the month.
UV index in Akureyri
How strong the sun is at noon, month by month, and how quickly unprotected skin burns.
- Clear-sky UV in October
- 0 · lowLittle protection needed; sunglasses on bright days.
The sun is strongest in June (UV 4).
Minutes until sunburn in October
- Very fair skin
- over 2 h
- Fair skin
- over 2 h
- Light brown skin
- over 2 h
- Olive skin
- over 2 h
Rough guide for unprotected skin at noon under a clear sky; clouds lengthen it, water, sand and snow shorten it. Sunscreen extends the time only partly.
Monthly values: clear-sky noon estimate from the sun's angle, ozone and altitude. UV today: Open-Meteo forecast.
Rain in Akureyri: rainy days and rainfall
A rainy day is a day with at least 1 mm of rain or snow; the amount is what falls in the whole month. Tap a month to select it.
In October, Akureyri has about 19 rainy days with 151 mm of rain in total.
Wind and clouds in Akureyri
How breezy and how cloudy Akureyri is through the year. Tap a month to select it on the whole page.
Wind
Typical daily peak of the wind in km/h: what the afternoon breeze usually reaches, not the gusts.
In October, the wind in Akureyri typically peaks at 20 km/h during the day: Beaufort 4, moderate breeze.
Breezy months for windsurfing and kiting
From Beaufort 4 (20 km/h) the daily breeze is usually enough for windsurfing and often for kiting: Oct – Mar.
Clouds
Average share of the sky covered by cloud, day and night.
In October, cloud covers on average 82 % of the sky over Akureyri: mostly overcast, with about 1.5 hours of sunshine a day.
Wind: mean daily maximum of the hourly wind 10 m above ground (ERA5, 1996–2025). Gusts are stronger, and the model grid of about 28 km smooths out local effects such as capes and valley winds. Clouds: mean total cloud cover of all layers over day and night (ERA5, 1996–2025). Thin high cloud counts as cover even when the sun still shines through.
Snow in Akureyri
When Akureyri is likely to be white: the chance of seeing snow during a week's stay, the days with fresh snow and how much falls. Tap a month to select it.
Snow calendar
- hardly any
- possible
- likely
- very likely
In October, Akureyri has about 11 days with at least 1 cm of fresh snow, 59 cm in total. The chance of seeing snow during a week's stay is 62 out of 100: likely.
Snow days bring at least 1 cm of fresh snow. Fresh snow comes from ERA5 snowfall (1996–2025) at the height of the place, not on the slopes above it; the snow chance also weighs whether the snow settles. An estimate from climate averages, not a snow report.
Climate through the year
Long-term monthly averages. Tap a month to see its details.
Nights and sleep in Akureyri
How warm the nights get in each month, from the mean night-time low. Tap a month for details.
- Frost below 0°
- Cold 0–8°
- Cool 8–15°
ColdOctober: nights around 0°. The room should be heated.
The coolest nights are in December (−5°), the warmest in July (9°). Nights fall below 8 °C on average from September to June, so the room should be heated.
Temperatures through the year
Average daytime high, night-time low and sea temperature per month.
| Month | Score | Day | Night | Sea | Sun | Rain days | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 1 | −1° | −5° | 3.6° | 0.2 h | 18 | 113 |
| FebruaryFeb | 2 | −1° | −5° | 3.1° | 1.2 h | 16 | 100 |
| MarchMar | 2 | 0° | −4° | 2.8° | 2.5 h | 17 | 101 |
| AprilApr | 10 | 3° | −2° | 3.2° | 4.2 h | 14 | 75 |
| MayMay | 16 | 6° | 1° | 4.7° | 5.5 h | 13 | 71 |
| JuneJun | 20 | 11° | 6° | 7.1° | 6.3 h | 12 | 68 |
| JulyJul | 13 | 14° | 9° | 8.9° | 4.9 h | 14 | 78 |
| AugustAug | 10 | 14° | 8° | 9.4° | 4.5 h | 15 | 94 |
| SeptemberSep | 1 | 10° | 5° | 8.2° | 3.0 h | 17 | 129 |
| OctoberOct | 0 | 4° | 0° | 6.5° | 1.5 h | 19 | 151 |
| NovemberNov | 0 | 1° | −4° | 5.3° | 0.5 h | 18 | 128 |
| DecemberDec | 0 | −1° | −5° | 4.5° | 0.0 h | 18 | 120 |
Climate averages 1996–2025, not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, WMO 1991–2020 (NOAA NCEI), GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Sources & licences
65.68° N, 18.09° W · 0 m · Atlantic/Reykjavik
Best time to visit Akureyri
The best time to visit Akureyri is from May to June. The sea stays too cool for a classic beach holiday: even in August it only reaches 9.4 °C. Rain is most frequent from July to May; the wettest month is October with 151 mm.
Akureyri through the seasons
How the weather changes over the seasons, with averages for each.
Akureyri in spring
Mar – May
Poor
- 0–6 °C by day
- Sea 4 °C
- 4 h of sun a day
- 44 rainy days in all
Akureyri in summer
Jun – Aug
Poor
- 11–14 °C by day
- Sea 9 °C
- 5 h of sun a day
- 40 rainy days in all
Akureyri in autumn
Sep – Nov
Poor
- 1–10 °C by day
- Sea 7 °C
- 2 h of sun a day
- 54 rainy days in all
Akureyri in winter
Dec – Feb
Poor
- -1 °C by day
- Sea 4 °C
- 1 h of sun a day
- 52 rainy days in all
Find your perfect month
Tell us what you like and we rate every month in Akureyri for you.
Your best months: May – July
Based on the climate averages; tap a month to see its details.
Compare two months in Akureyri
Pick two months to see how the weather differs. A tick marks the clearly better value; for temperatures it depends on your plans.
June has the better holiday weather in Akureyri: score 20 against 0. In June, days are 7 °C warmer than in October. The sea is 1 °C warmer in June. June has 7 fewer rainy days. The sun shines 5 hours longer a day in June.
| Month | October | June |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 0 | 20better |
| Day high | 4° | 11° |
| Night low | 0° | 6° |
| Sea | 6.5° | 7.1° |
| Sunshine | 1.5 h | 6.3 hbetter |
| Rainy days | 19 | 12better |
| Rainfall | 151 mm | 68 mmbetter |
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Which month for what?
Beach & swimming
No month
Sea from 21 °C, warm and mostly dry
Sightseeing & hiking
No month
15–28 °C and not too much rain
Rainy months
Jul – May
12 or more rainy days
Snow
Sep – May
Snow on 2 or more days
Akureyri month by month
The typical weather for every month at a glance.
1January-1° · Sea 4° · 0 h
In January, Akureyri is freezing cold: daytime highs average −1 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−5 °C). The sea averages 3.6 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 0 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 18 days, totalling 113 mm. Snow falls on about 14 days. All in all, January is not an ideal month for a holiday in Akureyri.
Akureyri in January2February-1° · Sea 3° · 1 h
In February, Akureyri is freezing cold: daytime highs average −1 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−5 °C). The sea averages 3.1 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 1 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 16 days, totalling 100 mm. Snow falls on about 13 days. All in all, February is not an ideal month for a holiday in Akureyri.
Akureyri in February2March0° · Sea 3° · 3 h
In March, Akureyri is freezing cold: daytime highs average 0 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−4 °C). The sea averages 2.8 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 3 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 17 days, totalling 101 mm. Snow falls on about 14 days. All in all, March is not an ideal month for a holiday in Akureyri.
Akureyri in March10April3° · Sea 3° · 4 h
In April, Akureyri is freezing cold: daytime highs average 3 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−2 °C). The sea averages 3.2 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 4 hours of sunshine a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 14 days, totalling 75 mm. Snow falls on about 10 days. All in all, April is not an ideal month for a holiday in Akureyri.
Akureyri in April16May6° · Sea 5° · 6 h
In May, Akureyri is cold: daytime highs average 6 °C, and nights cool down to about 1 °C. The sea averages 4.7 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 13 rainy days and 71 mm in total. Snow falls on about 6 days. All in all, May is not an ideal month for a holiday in Akureyri.
Akureyri in May20June11° · Sea 7° · 6 h
In June, Akureyri is cool: daytime highs average 11 °C, and nights cool down to about 6 °C. The sea averages 7.1 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 12 rainy days and 68 mm in total. Snow falls on about 2 days. All in all, June is not an ideal month for a holiday in Akureyri.
Akureyri in June13July14° · Sea 9° · 5 h
In July, Akureyri is cool: daytime highs average 14 °C, and nights cool down to about 9 °C. The sea averages 8.9 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 14 rainy days and 78 mm in total. All in all, July is not an ideal month for a holiday in Akureyri.
Akureyri in July10August14° · Sea 9° · 5 h
In August, Akureyri is cool: daytime highs average 14 °C, and nights cool down to about 8 °C. The sea averages 9.4 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. It rains often – on about 15 days, adding up to 94 mm. All in all, August is not an ideal month for a holiday in Akureyri.
Akureyri in August1September10° · Sea 8° · 3 h
In September, Akureyri is cold: daytime highs average 10 °C, and nights cool down to about 5 °C. The sea averages 8.2 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 3 hours a day. It rains often – on about 17 days, adding up to 129 mm. Snow falls on about 3 days. All in all, September is not an ideal month for a holiday in Akureyri.
Akureyri in September0October4° · Sea 7° · 2 h
In October, Akureyri is cold: daytime highs average 4 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (0 °C). The sea averages 6.5 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 2 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 19 days, totalling 151 mm. Snow falls on about 11 days. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Akureyri.
Akureyri in October0November1° · Sea 5° · 1 h
In November, Akureyri is freezing cold: daytime highs average 1 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−4 °C). The sea averages 5.3 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 1 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 18 days, totalling 128 mm. Snow falls on about 13 days. All in all, November is not an ideal month for a holiday in Akureyri.
Akureyri in November0December-1° · Sea 5° · 0 h
In December, Akureyri is freezing cold: daytime highs average −1 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−5 °C). The sea averages 4.5 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 0 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 18 days, totalling 120 mm. Snow falls on about 15 days. All in all, December is not an ideal month for a holiday in Akureyri.
Akureyri in DecemberAkureyri compared
Put Akureyri side by side with another destination.
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Akureyri vs. Ísafjörður
In October the holiday weather in Akureyri and Ísafjörður is about equally good (score 0 vs. 0). During the day Ísafjörður is 1 °C warmer than Akureyri. The sea is about equally warm.
| in October | Akureyri | Ísafjörður |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday score | 0 | 0 |
| Daytime high | 4° | 5° |
| Sea | 7° | 7° |
| Sunshine | 2 h | 2 h |
| Rainy days | 19 | 19 |
| Best time | May – Jun | Jun |
Through the year
Iceland in October: the best places
In October, Akureyri ranks 4 of 5 destinations in this country.
- Reykjavík6°9°6
- 2Hafnarfjörður6°9°4
- 3Grindavík7°9°4
- 4AkureyriThis page4°7°0
- 5Ísafjörður5°7°0
Planning a trip to Akureyri
Weather for your travel dates
Pick your arrival and length of stay, and we sum up the weather to expect.
Akureyri in the school holidays
How the weather suits the usual holiday periods. Dates vary by school and region, so each holiday uses the months it usually falls in.
Akureyri has its best school-holiday weather during May half-term (score 17) and its weakest during October half-term (score 0).
- 8
Easter holidays
Mar – Apr
Poor
- 2 °C by day
- Sea 3 °C
- 3.7 h of sun a day
- 15 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain, Snow
- 17
May half-term
May – Jun
PoorBest holidays
- 7 °C by day
- Sea 5 °C
- 5.7 h of sun a day
- 13 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain, Snow
- 11
Summer holidays
Jul – Aug
Poor
- 14 °C by day
- Sea 9 °C
- 4.6 h of sun a day
- 14 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
- 0
October half-term
Oct
Poor
- 4 °C by day
- Sea 7 °C
- 1.5 h of sun a day
- 19 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain, Snow
- 1
Christmas holidays
Dec – Jan
Poor
- −1 °C by day
- Sea 4 °C
- 0.1 h of sun a day
- 18 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain, Snow
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Getting there
Flying from
- Nonstop flight
- about 2 h 45 min
- Distance
- 1,870 km
- Time zone
- UTC+0
- Jet lag
- Hardly any (under 3 h)
Estimated from the straight-line distance: 30 minutes for take-off and landing plus 830 km/h cruising speed.
Frequently asked questions about Akureyri
When is the best time to visit Akureyri?
The best time to visit Akureyri is from May to June. That is when the holiday weather score, which combines temperature, sea, sunshine and rain, is highest.
How warm is the sea in Akureyri?
The sea temperature in Akureyri ranges from 2.8 °C in March to 9.4 °C in August. Even at its warmest the sea stays below 20 °C, so swimming is bracing at best.
Can you swim in Akureyri in October?
Only if you don't mind cold water: in October the sea averages just 6.5 °C. Comfortable swimming temperatures are not reached at any time of year.
What is the warmest month in Akureyri?
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 14 °C and nights around 9 °C. January is the coolest month at −1 °C.
When does it rain most in Akureyri?
Rain is most frequent from July to May; the wettest month is October with 151 mm. The driest month is June with 68 mm.
How many hours of sunshine does Akureyri get?
Akureyri gets around 1,050 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is June with 6.3 hours a day; in December there are 0.0 hours a day.
What time zone is Akureyri in?
Akureyri uses the time zone Atlantic/Reykjavik, which matches UTC all year.
How long is the flight from London to Akureyri?
A nonstop flight from London to Akureyri takes about 2 h 45 min, for a straight-line distance of about 1,870 km.
Which school holidays are best for Akureyri?
Akureyri has its best school-holiday weather during May half-term (score 17) and its weakest during October half-term (score 0). Holiday ratings (0–100): Easter holidays 8, May half-term 17, Summer holidays 11, October half-term 0, Christmas holidays 1.
Near Akureyri
Other destinations close by.
Places with a climate like Akureyri
Destinations whose weather through the year is closest to Akureyri's – good alternatives.