Reykjavík weather in May
Temperature, sea and sunshine in May: long-term averages from 30 years of weather data, not a forecast.
Holiday weather in May
Poor
Best time to visit: July
What is the weather like in Reykjavík in May?
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 8 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.
May compared
How the weather changes from April to June. Tap a month to open it.
More details for May
- Daylight
- 18 h 17 min04:15 – 22:32
- UV index
- 4 · moderateclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 0 daysdew point 18 °C or more
- Wind
- 23 km/haverage daily peak
- Cloud cover
- 72 %on average
- Hot days
- 0 days30 °C or more
- Snow days
- 0 days1 cm or more of fresh snow
- Time zone
- UTC+0Atlantic/Reykjavik
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 50 %17 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %88 %
- Few rainy daysweight 30 %16 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “Nature escape”.
What to pack in May
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses & sun hat
- Warm jacket
- Rain jacket or umbrella
Reykjavík in May: quick answers
Is Reykjavík hot in May?
No. In May, Reykjavík is cold: daytime highs average 10 °C and nights drop to about 3 °C.
Can you swim in Reykjavík in May?
Only if you don't mind cold water: in May the sea averages just 7.4 °C. Comfortable swimming temperatures are not reached at any time of year.
Does it rain much in Reykjavík in May?
It rains often – on about 16 days, adding up to 88 mm.
Reykjavík month by month
The whole year in ReykjavíkAll destinations: IcelandWhere to go in May
Climate averages 1996–2025, not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, GeoNames (CC BY 4.0)