Weather in January in Iceland
Planning a journey to Iceland this January and curious over the weather conditions to await? Your essential details are found on this page, answering your query:
What is the weather like in Iceland in January?
January in Iceland generally has temperatures that range from very cold to cold, with precipitation levels ranging from moderate to heavy. January falls during the winter season.
Temperatures
The average highest temperatures fluctuate between very cold in Eyjafjaroarsveit at -0°C to cold in Vestmannaeyjar at 7°C. Nighttime temperatures generally drop to 3°C in Vestmannaeyjar and -7°C in Eyjafjaroarsveit. On average, January is the coldest month of the year in Iceland. So be prepared and make sure to pack winter cloths.
Precipitation
In January, precipitation varies across different areas. From moderate snow/rainfall in Raufarhöfn with an average of 81 mm to heavy snow/rainfall in Solheimahjaleiga with 329 mm.Average sunshine
The city Reykjavík usually sees around 20 hours of sunlight, indicating fewer sunny days.For specific regional insights in Iceland for January, refer to the map provided below. For an in-depth overview of the yearly weather conditions, do visit our Iceland climate page.
Where to go in Iceland in January
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Popular destinations
What is the weather like in January for the 5 most popular destinations in Iceland?
Reykjavík
In January Reykjavík generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 3°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around -3°C and high monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.
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Akureyri
In January Akureyri generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around -0°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around -6°C and high monthly snowfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.
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Keflavík
In January Keflavík generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 5°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 1°C and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.
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Höfn
In January Höfn generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 4°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around -1°C and heavy monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.
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Selfoss
In January Selfoss generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 4°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around -2°C and heavy 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 visit Iceland?
In our view, January might not be the best time to travel to Iceland with often poor weather in Reykjavík.
Generally speaking, the best visiting conditions can be found in June and July offering mostly tolerable weather in Reykjavík. In contrast, January, February, March, April, September, October, November and December tend to 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 every country 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 recommends destinations that suit your ideal travel conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.