Iceland weather in January
What is the weather like in Iceland in January?
The weather conditions in Iceland in January are generally poor. It is a winter month.
During January in Iceland, the average maximum temperature varies from very low in Siglufjörður with -0°C (31°F) to low in Vestmannaeyjar with 6°C (43°F). Minimum nighttime temperatures generally drop to 3°C (38°F) in Vestmannaeyjar and -7°C (19°F) in Siglufjörður. It is a very cold month in some areas, so be prepared and make sure to dress up warm.
Precipitation in January varies from moderate in Blönduós with an average of 53mm (2.1 inches) of snow/rainfall to heavy in Jokulsarlon Glacial Lagoon with 176mm (6.9 inches).
It is also generally a
less sunny
time of year with an average of 20 hours of sunshine in Reykjavík during the entire month.
We invite you to have a look at the map below to discover more about the various weather conditions around Iceland.
Where to go in Iceland in January
perfect weather
pleasant
tolerable
unpleasant
poor
Popular destinations in Iceland
What is the weather like in January for the 5 most popular destinations in Iceland?
Average weather in Reykjavík
In January Reykjavík generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 2°C (36°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -4°C (26°F) and high monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.
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Average weather in Akureyri
In January Akureyri generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 0°C (32°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -7°C (20°F) and high monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.
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Average weather in Keflavík
In January Keflavík generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 3°C (37°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -3°C (26°F) and moderate monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.
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Average weather in Höfn
In January Höfn generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 3°C (38°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -2°C (28°F) and high monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.
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Average weather in Selfoss
In January Selfoss generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 3°C (38°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -2°C (29°F) and high monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.
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Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at other destinations in Iceland.
Is January the best time to go to Iceland?
In our opinion January is not the best time to visit Iceland with commonly poor weather in Reykjavík.
On average the best time to visit Iceland is in July with generally tolerable weather in Reykjavík.
The worst months are January, February, March, April, May, September, October, November and December that can have poor weather conditions.
Interested in more climate information?
We have much more information about the climate in Iceland.
Interested in the weather conditions in a specific month? Select the month below.
Weather and climate has detailed information for almost all countries in the world. Are you going to Iceland? Get detailed historical weather averages for many cities in Iceland.
Not sure yet where to go? We now have a tool which suggests which destination suits your ideal climate conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.
