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Best time to visit Iceland: month by month
Short answer
June to August is best for open roads, midnight sun and puffins, with highs of 11–14°C. September to March is the time for the northern lights, with short days in mid-winter. Late May and early September are good compromises; weather changes quickly all year.
Month by month
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1°C | -3°C | 17 | medium |
| Feb | 3°C | -1°C | 18 | medium |
| Mar | 3°C | -2°C | 16 | medium |
| Apr | 6°C | 2°C | 17 | low |
| May | 9°C | 4°C | 20 | medium |
| Jun | 11°C | 7°C | 19 | high |
| Jul | 13°C | 9°C | 13 | very high |
| Aug | 14°C | 9°C | 15 | very high |
| Sep | 11°C | 6°C | 17 | high |
| Oct | 7°C | 3°C | 16 | medium |
| Nov | 5°C | 1°C | 16 | low |
| Dec | 0°C | -4°C | 14 | medium |
Temperatures and rainy days: Copernicus ERA5 averages, 2021–2023. Crowd levels are our estimate.
Season by season
Spring (Mar–May)
Highs of 3–9°C, lows around freezing early in the season, and 16–20 rainy days a month; days lengthen fast and puffins arrive in May.
Summer (Jun–Aug)
Highs of 11–14°C with lows of 7–9°C; near 24-hour daylight in June, highland roads open, and peak prices.
Autumn (Sep–Nov)
Highs fall from 11°C to 5°C with 16–17 rainy days; the northern lights return and crowds thin.
Winter (Dec–Feb)
Highs of 0–3°C and lows of -4 to -1°C, with only about 4–5 hours of daylight in December; ice caves and northern lights, but icy roads.
Events worth planning around
- National Day (17 June).
- Reykjavik Culture Night (Menningarnott), in August.
- Iceland Airwaves music festival in Reykjavik (usually autumn; check dates).
When to avoid
July and August are the most crowded and expensive. Mid-winter brings very short days and frequent road closures; leave buffer days if driving.
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Common questions
What is the best month to visit Iceland?
July or August for roads and daylight; late September to March for the northern lights.
When can I see the northern lights?
From about late August to mid-April on dark, clear nights; check the forecast on vedur.is.
How much daylight is there in winter?
About 4–5 hours in December, rising quickly from February.