WEATHER CONDITIONS

Weather in Iceland

If you're planning to visit Iceland, the most popular travel time is during the summer of May through August when you can enjoy lots of daylight hours. December is also popular for the winter holidays and seeing the Northern Lights, although it will be quite dark during that time and you will see very little—if any—sunlight at all.

Iceland, near the Arctic Circle, has a cold, temperate climate due to the North Atlantic Current that carries Gulf Stream warm water north. That means that even though winters are cold, Iceland generally experiences higher average temperatures than other places in the world located at a similar latitude.

Iceland's climate includes conditions typical for a Nordic country, but there are some variations between different parts of the island: The south coast tends to be warmer, wetter, and windier than the north, and snowfall in winter is more common in the north than in the south. Known as the Land of Ice and Fire due to its many volcanoes, Iceland is always subject to the possibility of volcanic activity.

Iceland has four seasons, although sometimes it doesn't feel that way. The weather changes all the time.

People who lives in Iceland said, 'if you don't like the weather, wait five minutes'. Many people think that Iceland is constantly frozen, but that is not the case.

Fast Climate Facts

•          Hottest Month is July (57° F / 14° C)

•          Coldest Month is January and February (36° F / 2° C)

•          Wettest Month is September (4.6 inches)

Spring in Iceland

Spring first arrives in April, bringing with it warmer temperatures and the first signs of green grass and flowers.

Temperature averages range from 39 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius) in early April to 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius)

Summer in Iceland

Summer is the height of tourist season in Iceland, and in midsummer—during the entire months of June and July—daylight takes over during a time known as the Midnight Sun, when there is virtually no nighttime darkness.

It never really gets hot in Iceland due to the Gulf Stream bringing cooler air into the country throughout the night less summer.

Fall in Iceland

Keep in mind that because the Gulf Stream brings milder air from the Atlantic Ocean in contact with colder Arctic air, the skies are frequently overcast with driving wind and rain and abrupt weather shifts—you might just experience four seasons in one day!

October through December is also the rainy season in Iceland, making outdoor adventures harder to find.

Winter in Iceland

In midwinter, there is also a period of no sunlight and darkness prevails during a phenomenon known as the Polar Nights, which is a perfect time to view the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights).

Thanks again to the Gulf Stream air, winters are typically milder than elsewhere in the world. In fact, New York's winter is much colder even though it's technically further south on the globe.

 

Ariadna Ortiz