ClimateForecastDecemberJanuary >>

Weather in December in South Iceland

Are you planning a trip a to South Iceland in December and wondering what kind of weather to expect? This page has all the details you need.

What is the weather like in South Iceland in December?

South Iceland is a region in Iceland. December in South Iceland generally has temperatures that range from very cold to cold, with heavy precipitation.

Temperatures

Based on our climate data spanning from 1990-2020, the average maximum temperature is very cold in Sprengisandur at 1°C to cold in Vestmannaeyjar at 6°C. Nighttime temperatures generally drop to 2°C in Vestmannaeyjar and -5°C in Sprengisandur. In many areas in Iceland, December brings with it chilling temperatures. When visiting these parts during this time, it's of utmost importance to be ready. Choose clothing that is both layered and insulating to combat the cold effectively.

Precipitation

In December, precipitation varies across different areas. From heavy snow/rainfall in Sprengisandur with an average of 161 mm to heavy snow/rainfall in Solheimahjaleiga with 336 mm.

Average sunshine

Höfn experiences limited sunny days, amounting to roughly 17 hours of sunshine. This makes it perfect for those who prefer dimmer, cloudier settings rather than intense sunlit days

For a closer look at December's conditions in South Iceland, see the map below. For a more detailed look at South Iceland's yearly weather, check out our South Iceland climate page.

Where to go in South Iceland in December

Find more information for the most popular destinations in the South Iceland on the map below. Click on a destination dot for more detailes.

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Legend perfect weather pleasant tolerable unpleasant poor
Perfect weather is subjective. On this map perfect weather has been defined with temperatures between 20°C and 29°C and not too much precipitation (less than 90 mm a month).

Popular destinations

What is the weather like in December for the 5 most popular destinations in South Iceland?

Höfn

In December 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.

Höfn
minimum temparatureMax temperature minimum temparatureMax temp
maximum temparatureMin temperature maximum temparatureMin temp
sun hoursMonthly sun hours sun hoursSun hours
precipitationMonthly snow/rainfall precipitationSnow/rainfall
rain daysMonthly rainy days rain daysRainy days
conditionsWeather conditions conditionsWeather
5°C 
1°C 
47 hours 
212 mm 
14 days 
poor 
4°C 
-1°C 
17 hours 
211 mm 
16 days 
poor 
January   >> January
>>  
4°C 
-1°C 
25 hours 
215 mm 
17 days 
poor 
Climate in Höfn

Selfoss

In December 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.

Selfoss
minimum temparatureMax temperature minimum temparatureMax temp
maximum temparatureMin temperature maximum temparatureMin temp
sun hoursMonthly sun hours sun hoursSun hours
precipitationMonthly snow/rainfall precipitationSnow/rainfall
rain daysMonthly rainy days rain daysRainy days
conditionsWeather conditions conditionsWeather
5°C 
0°C 
42 hours 
148 mm 
17 days 
poor 
4°C 
-2°C 
20 hours 
171 mm 
19 days 
poor 
January   >> January
>>  
4°C 
-2°C 
20 hours 
166 mm 
18 days 
poor 
Climate in Selfoss

Hella

In December Hella 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.

Hella
minimum temparatureMax temperature minimum temparatureMax temp
maximum temparatureMin temperature maximum temparatureMin temp
precipitationMonthly snow/rainfall precipitationSnow/rainfall
rain daysMonthly rainy days rain daysRainy days
conditionsWeather conditions conditionsWeather
6°C 
0°C 
152 mm 
16 days 
poor 
4°C 
-1°C 
171 mm 
18 days 
poor 
January   >> January
>>  
5°C 
-1°C 
168 mm 
17 days 
poor 
Climate in Hella

Hveragerði

In December Hveragerði generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 3°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around -3°C and heavy monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

Hveragerði
minimum temparatureMax temperature minimum temparatureMax temp
maximum temparatureMin temperature maximum temparatureMin temp
sun hoursMonthly sun hours sun hoursSun hours
precipitationMonthly snow/rainfall precipitationSnow/rainfall
rain daysMonthly rainy days rain daysRainy days
conditionsWeather conditions conditionsWeather
5°C 
-0°C 
42 hours 
141 mm 
17 days 
poor 
3°C 
-3°C 
20 hours 
164 mm 
19 days 
poor 
January   >> January
>>  
3°C 
-3°C 
20 hours 
161 mm 
18 days 
poor 
Climate in Hveragerði

Laugarvatn

In December Laugarvatn generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 2°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around -4°C and heavy monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

Laugarvatn
minimum temparatureMax temperature minimum temparatureMax temp
maximum temparatureMin temperature maximum temparatureMin temp
sun hoursMonthly sun hours sun hoursSun hours
precipitationMonthly snow/rainfall precipitationSnow/rainfall
rain daysMonthly rainy days rain daysRainy days
conditionsWeather conditions conditionsWeather
4°C 
-2°C 
42 hours 
163 mm 
16 days 
poor 
2°C 
-4°C 
20 hours 
194 mm 
18 days 
poor 
January   >> January
>>  
2°C 
-4°C 
20 hours 
193 mm 
17 days 
poor 
Climate in Laugarvatn

Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at other destinations in South Iceland, in Iceland.

Is December the best time to visit South Iceland?

In our opinion, December may not be the ideal time to visit South Iceland due to the typically poor weather in Höfn.

Generally speaking, the best visiting conditions can be found in offering mostly poor weather in Höfn.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in South Iceland. Interested in the weather conditions in a specific month? Select the month below.

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  • 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.