AI-generatedReykjavík at a glance
- Best time
- Jul
- Warmest month
- Jul · 15°
- Warmest sea
- Aug · 11.6°
- Sunshine a year
- 1,370 h
- Rain a year
- 1,268 mm
- Climate
- Maritime
- Time zone
- UTC+0
- Elevation
- 37 m
Climate in Reykjavík
Reykjavík has a maritime climate with moderate summers and cool, often grey winters. July is the warmest month with average highs of 15 °C, while January is the coolest at 0 °C. With around 1,370 hours of sunshine a year, Reykjavík is rather dull; May is the sunniest month with 6.7 hours a day.
Holiday weather through the year
Weather in October
Holiday weather in October
Poor
Best time to visit: July
A typical day in October
- Morning, 08:00: about 1°
- Midday, 13:00: about 5°
- Afternoon, 16:00: about 5°
- Evening, 20:00: about 4°
- Night, 23:00: about 3°
08:1418:12
Cold evenings: bring a warm jacket.
Estimated from the average high and low: coolest around sunrise, warmest in mid-afternoon.
What is the weather like in Reykjavík in October?
In October, Reykjavík is cold: daytime highs average 6 °C, and nights cool down to about 1 °C. The sea averages 8.5 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 3 hours a day. It rains often – on about 15 days, adding up to 119 mm. Snow falls on about 2 days. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Reykjavík.
More details for October
- Daylight
- 9 h 57 min08:14 – 18:12
- UV index
- 1 · lowclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 0 daysdew point 18 °C or more
- Wind
- 26 km/haverage daily peak
- Cloud cover
- 71 %on average
- Hot days
- 0 days30 °C or more
- Snow days
- 2 days1 cm or more of fresh snow
- Time zone
- UTC+0Atlantic/Reykjavik
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 50 %0 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %0 %
- Few rainy daysweight 30 %19 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “Nature escape”.
What to pack in October
- Warm jacket
- Rain jacket or umbrella
Sea temperature in Reykjavík
Monthly sea surface temperature with the range of cooler and warmer years.
8 in 10 years: 7.8 – 9.4 °C
Swimming season: Never above 20 °C
- cold
- fresh
- refreshing
- pleasant
- warm
- very warm
The sea temperature in Reykjavík ranges from 4.9 °C in March to 11.6 °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 March 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 10.8 and 12.4 °C.
| Month | Average | Cool year | Warm year | Feels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 5.3° | 4.6° | 5.9° | cold |
| FebruaryFeb | 5.0° | 4.1° | 5.7° | cold |
| MarchMar | 4.9° | 4.3° | 5.6° | cold |
| AprilApr | 5.7° | 5.0° | 6.2° | cold |
| MayMay | 7.4° | 6.9° | 8.1° | cold |
| JuneJun | 9.7° | 8.7° | 10.7° | cold |
| JulyJul | 11.3° | 10.7° | 12.2° | cold |
| AugustAug | 11.6° | 10.8° | 12.4° | cold |
| SeptemberSep | 10.2° | 9.6° | 11.0° | cold |
| OctoberOct | 8.5° | 7.8° | 9.4° | cold |
| NovemberNov | 6.9° | 6.3° | 7.5° | cold |
| DecemberDec | 5.8° | 5.0° | 6.4° | cold |
Sunshine hours in Reykjavík
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 3.0 of 10.0 hours of daylight in Reykjavík, 30 % 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 Reykjavík
How strong the sun is at noon, month by month, and how quickly unprotected skin burns.
- Clear-sky UV in October
- 1 · lowLittle protection needed; sunglasses on bright days.
The sun is strongest in June (UV 5).
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 Reykjavík: 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, Reykjavík has about 15 rainy days with 119 mm of rain in total.
Climate through the year
Long-term monthly averages. Tap a month to see its details.
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 | 0 | 0° | −5° | 5.3° | 0.7 h | 18 | 120 |
| FebruaryFeb | 3 | 1° | −5° | 5.0° | 2.2 h | 17 | 119 |
| MarchMar | 4 | 2° | −4° | 4.9° | 3.6 h | 17 | 113 |
| AprilApr | 12 | 6° | −1° | 5.7° | 5.5 h | 16 | 98 |
| MayMay | 26 | 10° | 3° | 7.4° | 6.7 h | 16 | 88 |
| JuneJun | 45 | 13° | 7° | 9.7° | 6.3 h | 14 | 74 |
| JulyJul | 55 | 15° | 8° | 11.3° | 5.9 h | 14 | 79 |
| AugustAug | 45 | 14° | 8° | 11.6° | 5.3 h | 15 | 97 |
| SeptemberSep | 15 | 10° | 5° | 10.2° | 3.9 h | 18 | 134 |
| OctoberOct | 6 | 6° | 1° | 8.5° | 3.0 h | 15 | 119 |
| NovemberNov | 5 | 2° | −2° | 6.9° | 1.3 h | 16 | 109 |
| DecemberDec | 2 | 0° | −5° | 5.8° | 0.4 h | 17 | 118 |
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)
64.14° N, 21.90° W · 37 m · Atlantic/Reykjavik
Best time to visit Reykjavík
The best time to visit Reykjavík is in July. The sea stays too cool for a classic beach holiday: even in August it only reaches 11.6 °C. The wettest month is September with 134 mm of precipitation.
Reykjavík through the seasons
How the weather changes over the seasons, with averages for each.
Reykjavík in spring
Mar – May
Poor
- 2–10 °C by day
- Sea 6 °C
- 5 h of sun a day
- 49 rainy days in all
Reykjavík in summer
Jun – Aug
Fair
- 13–15 °C by day
- Sea 11 °C
- 6 h of sun a day
- 43 rainy days in all
Reykjavík in autumn
Sep – Nov
Poor
- 2–10 °C by day
- Sea 9 °C
- 3 h of sun a day
- 49 rainy days in all
Reykjavík in winter
Dec – Feb
Poor
- 0–1 °C by day
- Sea 5 °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 Reykjavík for you.
Your best months: July
Based on the climate averages; tap a month to see its details.
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
All year
12 or more rainy days
Snow
Nov – Apr
Snow on 2 or more days
Reykjavík month by month
The typical weather for every month at a glance.
0January0° · Sea 5° · 1 h
In January, Reykjavík is freezing cold: daytime highs average 0 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−5 °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 120 mm. Snow falls on about 8 days. It is often windy, with gusts of around 30 km/h. All in all, January is not an ideal month for a holiday in Reykjavík.
Reykjavík in January3February1° · Sea 5° · 2 h
In February, Reykjavík is freezing cold: daytime highs average 1 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−5 °C). The sea averages 5.0 °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 17 days, totalling 119 mm. Snow falls on about 9 days. It is often windy, with gusts of around 31 km/h. All in all, February is not an ideal month for a holiday in Reykjavík.
Reykjavík in February4March2° · Sea 5° · 4 h
In March, Reykjavík is freezing cold: daytime highs average 2 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−4 °C). The sea averages 4.9 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 4 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 17 days, totalling 113 mm. Snow falls on about 8 days. It is often windy, with gusts of around 28 km/h. All in all, March is not an ideal month for a holiday in Reykjavík.
Reykjavík in March12April6° · Sea 6° · 6 h
In April, Reykjavík is cold: daytime highs average 6 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−1 °C). The sea averages 5.7 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. It rains often – on about 16 days, adding up to 98 mm. Snow falls on about 3 days. All in all, April is not an ideal month for a holiday in Reykjavík.
Reykjavík in April26May10° · Sea 7° · 7 h
In May, Reykjavík is cold: daytime highs average 10 °C, and nights cool down to about 3 °C. The sea averages 7.4 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. It rains often – on about 16 days, adding up to 88 mm. All in all, May is not an ideal month for a holiday in Reykjavík.
Reykjavík in May45June13° · Sea 10° · 6 h
In June, Reykjavík is cool: daytime highs average 13 °C, and nights cool down to about 7 °C. The sea averages 9.7 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. It rains often – on about 14 days, adding up to 74 mm. All in all, June is a so-so month for a holiday in Reykjavík.
Reykjavík in June55July15° · Sea 11° · 6 h
In July, Reykjavík is cool: daytime highs average 15 °C, and nights cool down to about 8 °C. The sea averages 11.3 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 14 rainy days and 79 mm in total. All in all, July is a so-so month for a holiday in Reykjavík.
Reykjavík in July45August14° · Sea 12° · 5 h
In August, Reykjavík is cool: daytime highs average 14 °C, and nights cool down to about 8 °C. The sea averages 11.6 °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 97 mm. All in all, August is a so-so month for a holiday in Reykjavík.
Reykjavík in August15September10° · Sea 10° · 4 h
In September, Reykjavík is cool: daytime highs average 10 °C, and nights cool down to about 5 °C. The sea averages 10.2 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 4 hours a day. It rains often – on about 18 days, adding up to 134 mm. All in all, September is not an ideal month for a holiday in Reykjavík.
Reykjavík in September6October6° · Sea 9° · 3 h
In October, Reykjavík is cold: daytime highs average 6 °C, and nights cool down to about 1 °C. The sea averages 8.5 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 3 hours a day. It rains often – on about 15 days, adding up to 119 mm. Snow falls on about 2 days. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Reykjavík.
Reykjavík in October5November2° · Sea 7° · 1 h
In November, Reykjavík is freezing cold: daytime highs average 2 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−2 °C). The sea averages 6.9 °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 109 mm. Snow falls on about 3 days. All in all, November is not an ideal month for a holiday in Reykjavík.
Reykjavík in November2December0° · Sea 6° · 0 h
In December, Reykjavík is freezing cold: daytime highs average 0 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−5 °C). The sea averages 5.8 °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 17 days, totalling 118 mm. Snow falls on about 8 days. It is often windy, with gusts of around 29 km/h. All in all, December is not an ideal month for a holiday in Reykjavík.
Reykjavík in DecemberReykjavík compared
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Reykjavík vs. Edinburgh
In October Edinburgh has the better holiday weather (score 31 vs. 6). During the day Edinburgh is 6 °C warmer than Reykjavík. The sea in Edinburgh is 3 °C warmer.
| in October | Reykjavík | Edinburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday score | 6 | 31 |
| Daytime high | 6° | 12° |
| Sea | 9° | 12° |
| Sunshine | 3 h | 3 h |
| Rainy days | 15 | 14 |
| Best time | Jul | Jul – Aug |
Through the year
Planning a trip to Reykjavík
Weather for your travel dates
Pick your arrival and length of stay, and we sum up the weather to expect.
Getting there
Flying from
- Nonstop flight
- about 2 h 45 min
- Distance
- 1,880 km
- Time zone
- UTC+0
Estimated from the straight-line distance: 30 minutes for take-off and landing plus 830 km/h cruising speed.
Frequently asked questions about Reykjavík
When is the best time to visit Reykjavík?
The best time to visit Reykjavík is in July. That is when the holiday weather score, which combines temperature, sea, sunshine and rain, is highest.
How warm is the sea in Reykjavík?
The sea temperature in Reykjavík ranges from 4.9 °C in March to 11.6 °C in August. Even at its warmest the sea stays below 20 °C, so swimming is bracing at best.
Can you swim in Reykjavík in October?
Only if you don't mind cold water: in October the sea averages just 8.5 °C. Comfortable swimming temperatures are not reached at any time of year.
What is the warmest month in Reykjavík?
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 15 °C and nights around 8 °C. January is the coolest month at 0 °C.
When does it rain most in Reykjavík?
The wettest month is September with 134 mm of precipitation. The driest month is June with 74 mm.
How many hours of sunshine does Reykjavík get?
Reykjavík gets around 1,370 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is May with 6.7 hours a day; in December there are 0.4 hours a day.
What time zone is Reykjavík in?
Reykjavík uses the time zone Atlantic/Reykjavik, which matches UTC all year.
How long is the flight from London to Reykjavík?
A nonstop flight from London to Reykjavík takes about 2 h 45 min, for a straight-line distance of about 1,880 km.
Near Reykjavík
Other destinations close by.
Places with a climate like Reykjavík
Destinations whose weather through the year is closest to Reykjavík's – good alternatives.