Vatnajökull National Park

Iceland Weather in May

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

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Reykjavík Akureyri Keflavík Vík í Mýrdal

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 to Expect 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 (41°F) in Suðureyri to 12°C (54°F) in Hella. Nighttime temperatures generally drop to 5°C (41°F) in Hella and 2°C (36°F) 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 Grímsey with an average of 48 mm (1.9 in) to high rainfall in Solheimahjaleiga with 160 mm (6.3 in).

Average sunshine

Sunshine is generally plentiful throughout many areas. Reykjavík enjoys about 201 hours of sunlight, ideal for those seeking sunny weather.

Explore Iceland by month

Pick a month to see the average temperature, rainfall and sunshine in Iceland — and find the best time to visit. (based on Reykjavík)

January3°C (37°F) February3°C (37°F) March4°C (39°F) April7°C (45°F) May11°C (52°F) June14°C (57°F) This monthJuly16°C (61°F) August15°C (59°F) September12°C (54°F) October8°C (46°F) November5°C (41°F) December4°C (39°F)
Best Time to Visit Iceland →

Best Places to Visit in Iceland in May

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 May for some of the most popular destinations in Iceland?

Temperature range in Iceland (May)

Precipitation variation in Iceland (May)

Reykjavík

In May Reykjavík generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 11°C (52°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 4°C (39°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are unpleasant that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
7°C (45°F)
11°C (52°F)
14°C (57°F)
Min temperature
1°C (34°F)
4°C (39°F)
7°C (45°F)
Monthly sun hours
165 hours
201 hours
173 hours
Monthly rainfall
109 mm (4.3 in)
97 mm (3.8 in)
87 mm (3.4 in)
Monthly rainy days
18 days
16 days
17 days
Weather conditions
poor
unpleasant
tolerable
Climate in Reykjavík →

Akureyri

In May Akureyri generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 6°C (43°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 0°C (32°F) and moderate monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
3°C (37°F)
6°C (43°F)
11°C (52°F)
Min temperature
-4°C (25°F)
0°C (32°F)
4°C (39°F)
Monthly sun hours
125 hours
169 hours
189 hours
Monthly snow/rainfall
83 mm (3.3 in)
71 mm (2.8 in)
71 mm (2.8 in)
Monthly rainy days
14 days
12 days
13 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
unpleasant
Climate in Akureyri →

Keflavík

In May Keflavík generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 9°C (48°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 5°C (41°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
7°C (45°F)
9°C (48°F)
12°C (54°F)
Min temperature
2°C (36°F)
5°C (41°F)
8°C (46°F)
Monthly sun hours
165 hours
201 hours
173 hours
Monthly rainfall
102 mm (4 in)
87 mm (3.4 in)
77 mm (3 in)
Monthly rainy days
18 days
16 days
17 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
unpleasant
Climate in Keflavík →

Höfn

In May Höfn generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 8°C (46°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 3°C (37°F) and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
5°C (41°F)
8°C (46°F)
10°C (50°F)
Min temperature
1°C (34°F)
3°C (37°F)
6°C (43°F)
Monthly sun hours
142 hours
172 hours
147 hours
Monthly rainfall
152 mm (6 in)
107 mm (4.2 in)
112 mm (4.4 in)
Monthly rainy days
13 days
13 days
14 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Höfn →

Selfoss

In May Selfoss generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 11°C (52°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 5°C (41°F) and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
8°C (46°F)
11°C (52°F)
14°C (57°F)
Min temperature
1°C (34°F)
5°C (41°F)
8°C (46°F)
Monthly sun hours
165 hours
201 hours
173 hours
Monthly rainfall
118 mm (4.6 in)
105 mm (4.1 in)
89 mm (3.5 in)
Monthly rainy days
17 days
15 days
17 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
tolerable
Climate in Selfoss →

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

Popular cities in May

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

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
Reykjavík 11°C (52°F) 4°C (39°F) 97 mm (3.8 in)
Akureyri 6°C (43°F) 0°C (32°F) 71 mm (2.8 in)
Keflavík 9°C (48°F) 5°C (41°F) 87 mm (3.4 in)
Vík í Mýrdal 8°C (46°F) 4°C (39°F) 145 mm (5.7 in)
Ísafjörður 6°C (43°F) 1°C (34°F) 73 mm (2.9 in)
Húsavík 8°C (46°F) 2°C (36°F) 71 mm (2.8 in)

Iceland weather in May: frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in Iceland in May?

Expect unpleasant weather across Iceland in May. The popular destination of Reykjavík averages 11°C (52°F) by day and 4°C (39°F) at night during this month.

What is the average temperature in Iceland in May?

Average temperatures in Iceland during May range from a nighttime low near 4°C (39°F) to a daytime high around 11°C (52°F) in Reykjavík.

Does Iceland get a lot of rain in May?

Not particularly. Reykjavík averages just 97 mm (3.8 in) of rain in May, making it a mostly dry month for Iceland.

Is May a Good 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.

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