Iceland

Iceland Weather in January

Average temperatures, rainfall, sunshine and the best places to visit in Iceland in January.

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Reykjavík Akureyri Keflavík Höfn

Considering a trip to Iceland this January and wondering about the expected weather conditions? Find all the crucial information you need right here, addressing your question:

What to Expect 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 (32°F) to cold in Vestmannaeyjar at 7°C (45°F). Nighttime temperatures generally drop to 3°C (37°F) in Vestmannaeyjar and -7°C (19°F) in Eyjafjaroarsveit. On average, January is the coldest month of the year in Iceland. So be prepared and make sure to pack winter cloths.

To explore the conditions in Iceland in more detail, check the map below.

Precipitation

In January, precipitation varies across different areas. From moderate snow/rainfall in Raufarhöfn with an average of 81 mm (3.2 in) to heavy snow/rainfall in Solheimahjaleiga with 329 mm (13 in).

Average sunshine

Sunshine tends to be more scarce in many locations. Reykjavík gets roughly 20 hours of sunlight. For sunnier alternatives, check our weather planner to find destinations with better conditions.

Explore Iceland by month

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Best Places to Visit in Iceland in January

Click on a destination dot for more details. Toggle the map to compare temperatures or precipitation across Iceland.

Conditions Temperatures Precipitation
perfect weather
pleasant
tolerable
unpleasant
poor

Perfect weather is subjective. On this map perfect weather has been defined with temperatures between 20°C (68°F) and 29°C (84°F) and not too much precipitation (less than 90 mm (3.5 in) a month).

Popular Destinations in Iceland

What is the weather like in January for some of the most popular destinations in Iceland?

Temperature range in Iceland (January)

Precipitation variation in Iceland (January)

Reykjavík

In January Reykjavík generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 3°C (37°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -3°C (27°F) and high monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
4°C (39°F)
3°C (37°F)
3°C (37°F)
Min temperature
-2°C (28°F)
-3°C (27°F)
-3°C (27°F)
Monthly sun hours
20 hours
20 hours
60 hours
Monthly snow/rainfall
138 mm (5.4 in)
138 mm (5.4 in)
148 mm (5.8 in)
Monthly rainy days
19 days
18 days
17 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Reykjavík →

Akureyri

In January Akureyri generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 0°C (32°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -6°C (21°F) and high monthly snowfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
0°C (32°F)
0°C (32°F)
0°C (32°F)
Min temperature
-7°C (19°F)
-6°C (21°F)
-7°C (19°F)
Monthly sun hours
0 hours
7 hours
36 hours
Monthly snowfall
129 mm (5.1 in)
123 mm (4.8 in)
114 mm (4.5 in)
Monthly rainy days
18 days
16 days
14 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Akureyri →

Keflavík

In January Keflavík generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 5°C (41°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 1°C (34°F) and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
5°C (41°F)
5°C (41°F)
5°C (41°F)
Min temperature
1°C (34°F)
1°C (34°F)
0°C (32°F)
Monthly sun hours
20 hours
20 hours
60 hours
Monthly rainfall
139 mm (5.5 in)
135 mm (5.3 in)
145 mm (5.7 in)
Monthly rainy days
20 days
19 days
18 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Keflavík →

Höfn

In January Höfn generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 4°C (39°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -1°C (30°F) and heavy monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
4°C (39°F)
4°C (39°F)
4°C (39°F)
Min temperature
-1°C (30°F)
-1°C (30°F)
-1°C (30°F)
Monthly sun hours
17 hours
25 hours
62 hours
Monthly snow/rainfall
211 mm (8.3 in)
215 mm (8.5 in)
216 mm (8.5 in)
Monthly rainy days
16 days
17 days
14 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Höfn →

Selfoss

In January Selfoss generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 4°C (39°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -2°C (28°F) and heavy monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
4°C (39°F)
4°C (39°F)
4°C (39°F)
Min temperature
-2°C (28°F)
-2°C (28°F)
-2°C (28°F)
Monthly sun hours
20 hours
20 hours
60 hours
Monthly snow/rainfall
171 mm (6.7 in)
166 mm (6.5 in)
173 mm (6.8 in)
Monthly rainy days
19 days
18 days
17 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Selfoss →

Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at all destinations in Iceland.

Popular cities in January

Day & night temperatures, rainfall and average weather in Iceland in January.

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
Reykjavík 3°C (37°F) -3°C (27°F) 138 mm (5.4 in)
Akureyri 0°C (32°F) -6°C (21°F) 123 mm (4.8 in)
Keflavík 5°C (41°F) 1°C (34°F) 135 mm (5.3 in)
Höfn 4°C (39°F) -1°C (30°F) 215 mm (8.5 in)
Ísafjörður 2°C (36°F) -3°C (27°F) 144 mm (5.7 in)
Húsavík 2°C (36°F) -3°C (27°F) 105 mm (4.1 in)

Iceland weather in January: frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in Iceland in January?

In January, Iceland generally has poor weather conditions. Reykjavík sees daytime temperatures near 3°C (37°F), with nights cooling to roughly -3°C (27°F).

What is the average temperature in Iceland in January?

Reykjavík averages a daytime maximum of 3°C (37°F) in January, with overnight lows close to -3°C (27°F).

Does Iceland get a lot of snow/rain in January?

Yes, January tends to be a wetter month in Iceland. Average snow/rainfall in Reykjavík sits around 138 mm (5.4 in).

Is January a Good 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.

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.

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