Weather in May in Iceland
Planning a getaway to Iceland this May and curious about the weather you should prepare for? Discover all the vital details you need on this page, solving your puzzle:
What is the weather like in Iceland in May?
May in Iceland generally has cold temperatures, with precipitation levels ranging from moderate to high.
Temperatures
The average maximum temperatures are cold and range from 5°C in Suðureyri to 12°C in Hella. Nighttime temperatures generally drop to 5°C in Hella and 2°C in Suðureyri.For a closer look at conditions across Iceland, refer to the map below.
Precipitation
In May, precipitation varies across different areas. From moderate rainfall in Raufarhöfn with an average of 55 mm to high rainfall in Solheimahjaleiga with 160 mm.Average sunshine
The days are mostly sunny, with an average total of around 201 hours of sunshine in Reykjavík. The sunlight during this month doesn't just make the days brighter, it also seems to make everyone a bit more cheerful.For an in-depth overview of the yearly conditions, do visit our Iceland climate page.
Where to go in Iceland in May
perfect weather
pleasant
tolerable
unpleasant
poor
Select a Month of Interest
Check the conditions for any month of the year.
For a detailed overview over the year and the best time to visit Iceland, check out our Iceland's climate page.
Popular destinations
What is the weather like in May for the 5 most popular destinations in Iceland?
Reykjavík
In May Reykjavík generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 11°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 4°C and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are unpleasant that month.
Max temperature
Max temp
Min temperature
Min temp
Monthly sun hours
Sun hours
Monthly rainfall
Rainfall
Monthly rainy days
Rainy days
Weather conditions
Weather
Akureyri
In May Akureyri generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 6°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around -0°C and moderate monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.
Max temperature
Max temp
Min temperature
Min temp
Monthly sun hours
Sun hours
Monthly snow/rainfall
Snow/rainfall
Monthly rainy days
Rainy days
Weather conditions
Weather
Keflavík
In May Keflavík generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 9°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 5°C and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.
Max temperature
Max temp
Min temperature
Min temp
Monthly sun hours
Sun hours
Monthly rainfall
Rainfall
Monthly rainy days
Rainy days
Weather conditions
Weather
Höfn
In May Höfn generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 8°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 3°C and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.
Max temperature
Max temp
Min temperature
Min temp
Monthly sun hours
Sun hours
Monthly rainfall
Rainfall
Monthly rainy days
Rainy days
Weather conditions
Weather
Selfoss
In May Selfoss generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 11°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 5°C and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.
Max temperature
Max temp
Min temperature
Min temp
Monthly sun hours
Sun hours
Monthly rainfall
Rainfall
Monthly rainy days
Rainy days
Weather conditions
Weather
Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at other destinations in Iceland.
Is May the best time to visit Iceland?
In our opinion, May may not be the ideal time to visit Iceland due to the typically unpleasant weather in Reykjavík.
On average, the best time to visit Iceland is in June and July with generally tolerable weather in Reykjavík. On the other hand, the weather in January, February, March, April, September, October, November and December tend to be poor.
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.