Practical info
Clothing & Weather
There is no specific dress code for this event. We recommend you bring warm clothing and good boots. Umbrellas are useless here as the wind tends to be strong and so precipitation comes at you diagonally rather than straight down. All manner of clothing can be bought here, however, prices are high and so if you have decent enough gear due bring it. There are a lot of fantastic outdoor swimming pools. They are all acclimatized and so you can go in any weather, they are always warm, and in actual fact, going when it is really cold just adds to the experience. They are also very cheap so we highly recommend you bring swimwear.
January is one of the coldest months of the year but can have many days where the ever blowing wind takes a break and leaves us with cold yet beautiful weather. Though the weather in Iceland is unpredictable all year round, January is often stable and doesn't usually have many snow storms or heavy rains. As with February, January can be a good month to see the northern lights, with a high number of nights with at least prolonged moments of clear sky's (which is a bit of a must in order to catch a glimpse of the lights if they come out to play). Dress accordingly though. If the wind picks up it can be "bloody" cold.
Average temperatures for Reykjavík in January
The month of January is characterized by essentially constant daily high temperatures, with daily highs around 2°C throughout the month, exceeding 8°C or dropping below -4°C only one day in ten. Daily low temperatures are around -4°C, falling below -12°C or exceeding 2°C only one day in ten.
Sun
Over the course of January, the length of the day is very rapidly increasing. From the start to the end of the month, the length of the day increases by 2:32 hours, implying an average day-over-day increase of 4.9 minutes. The shortest day of the month is January 2 with 4:24 hours of daylight; the longest day is January 31 with 6:56 hours of daylight. The earliest sunrise is at 10:13am on January 31; the latest sunset is at 5:09pm on January 31; the latest sunrise is at 11:19am on January 2; the earliest sunset is at 3:43pm on January 1.
Clouds
The median cloud cover is 89% (mostly cloudy) and does not vary substantially over the course of the month. On January 16, a representative day, the sky is clear or mostly clear 18% of the time, partly cloudy 16% of the time, and mostly cloudy or overcast 58% of the time.
Precipitation
The average probability that some form of precipitation will be observed in a given day is 77%, with little variation over the course of the month. Throughout January, the most common forms of precipitation are moderate snow, moderate rain, and light snow.
Snow
The likelihood of snow falling is highest around January 31, occurring in 52% of days. Accumulation in January is unlikely. The chances of there being snow on the ground are highest around January 13, occurring 5% of the time. The snow is typically at its deepest on January 27, with a median depth of 8.0 cm; the depth exceeds 9.5 cm only one year out of ten.
Though February is much the same as January it can be marginally warmer. At least in Reykjavik there does not tend to be much snow, though this should not be taken as any kind of guarantee. The moment you leave the city the climate does change considerably so this should be kept in mind. As with January, February is great for northern lights hunting, with a high number of nights with at least prolonged moments of clear sky's (which is a bit of a must in order to catch a glimpse of the lights if they come out to play). Dress accordingly. If the wind picks up it can be "bloody" cold.
Average temperatures for Reykjavík in February
The month of February is characterized by essentially constant daily high temperatures, with daily highs around 3°C throughout the month, exceeding 7°C or dropping below -3°C only one day in ten. Daily low temperatures are around -2°C, falling below -8°C or exceeding 3°C only one day in ten.
Sun
Over the course of February, the length of the day is very rapidly increasing. From the start to the end of the month, the length of the day increases by 3:04 hours, implying an average day-over-day increase of 6.3 minutes. The shortest day of the month is February 1 with 7:03 hours of daylight; the longest day is February 29 with 10:07 hours of daylight. The earliest sunrise is at 8:36am on February 29; the latest sunset is at 6:44pm on February 29; the latest sunrise is at 10:10am on February 1; the earliest sunset is at 5:14pm on February 1.
Clouds
The median cloud cover is 89% (mostly cloudy) and does not vary substantially over the course of the month. On February 15, a representative day, the sky is clear or mostly clear 16% of the time, partly cloudy 15% of the time, and mostly cloudy or overcast 60% of the time.
Precipitation
The average probability that some form of precipitation will be observed in a given day is 79%, with little variation over the course of the month. Throughout February, the most common forms of precipitation are moderate snow, moderate rain, and light snow.
Snow
The likelihood of snow falling is highest around February 27, occurring in 55% of days. Accumulation in February is unlikely. The chances of there being snow on the ground are highest around February 1, occurring 3% of the time. The snow is typically at its deepest on February 11, with a median depth of 6.6 cm; the depth exceeds 6.7 cm only one year out of ten.
With rising temperatures, March tends to have more changes in weather and considerably more snow. The day is longer, though, it can often be a very cloudy month which does affect the quality of light. The northern lights are still in season though it can be harder to see them due to more unpredictable weather. Rain can become a bit of a factor, which, if there is a lot of snow, will cause a lot of sludge and so good watertight boots are an absolute must.
Average temperatures for Reykjavík in March
The month of March is characterized by gradually rising daily high temperatures, with daily highs around 3°C throughout the month, exceeding 8°C or dropping below -2°C only one day in ten. Daily low temperatures are around -2°C, falling below -8°C or exceeding 3°C only one day in ten.
Sun
Over the course of March, the length of the day is very rapidly increasing. From the start to the end of the month, the length of the day increases by 3:15 hours, implying an average day-over-day increase of 6.3 minutes. The shortest day of the month is March 1 with 10:13 hours of daylight; the longest day is March 31 with 13:28 hours of daylight. The earliest sunrise is at 6:48am on March 31; the latest sunset is at 8:16pm on March 31; the latest sunrise is at 8:33am on March 1; the earliest sunset is at 6:46pm on March 1.
Clouds
The median cloud cover is 89% (mostly cloudy) and does not vary substantially over the course of the month. On March 16, a representative day, the sky is clear or mostly clear 17% of the time, partly cloudy 16% of the time, and mostly cloudy or overcast 59% of the time.
Precipitation
The average probability that some form of precipitation will be observed in a given day is 78%, with little variation over the course of the month. Throughout March, the most common forms of precipitation are moderate snow, moderate rain, and light snow.
Snow
The likelihood of snow falling is highest around March 1, occurring in 55% of days. Accumulation in March is extremely unlikely. The chances of there being snow on the ground are highest around March 10, occurring 4% of the time. The snow is typically at its deepest on March 28, with a median depth of 14.9 cm; the depth exceeds 16.4 cm only one year out of ten.
As in many other parts of the world, April is a month of transitions. The weather gods slowly begin to shrug off the icicles of winter, though, we must emphasize the world "slowly". Similar to the fall, this period can have very bad weather or good. It is very hard to tell. As a general rule it is still cold and you should expect snow and considerable wind, however (if we are luck), it has happened that a false spring period can arrive which would mean sunshine and mild weather. Still no warmer thank 5-8 degrees to be sure. The Northern Lights can still be seen during the first half of the month.
Average temperatures for Reykjavík in April
The month of April is characterized by rising daily high temperatures, with daily highs increasing from 4°C to 7°C over the course of the month, exceeding 10°C or dropping below 0°C only one day in ten. Daily low temperatures range from -1°C to 2°C, falling below -6°C or exceeding 6°C only one day in ten.
Sun
Over the course of April, the length of the day is very rapidly increasing. From the start to the end of the month, the length of the day increases by 3:13 hours, implying an average day-over-day increase of 6.4 minutes. The shortest day of the month is April 1 with 13:37 hours of daylight; the longest day is April 30 with 16:50 hours of daylight. The earliest sunrise is at 5:01am on April 30; the latest sunset is at 9:51pm on April 30; the latest sunrise is at 6:44am on April 1; the earliest sunset is at 8:20pm on April 1.
Clouds
The median cloud cover is 89% (mostly cloudy) and does not vary substantially over the course of the month. On April 15, a representative day, the sky is clear or mostly clear 19% of the time, partly cloudy 16% of the time, and mostly cloudy or overcast 58% of the time.
Precipitation
The probability that precipitation will be observed at this location varies throughout the month. Precipitation is most likely around April 1, occurring in 76% of days. Precipitation is least likely around April 30, occurring in 72% of days. Throughout April, the most common forms of precipitation are moderate rain, moderate snow, light snow, and light rain.
Snow
The likelihood of snow falling is highest around April 1, occurring in 43% of days. Accumulation in April is extremely unlikely. The chances of there being snow on the ground are highest around April 1, occurring 2% of the time. The snow is typically at its deepest on April 1, with a median depth of 10.6 cm; the depth exceeds 11.5 cm only one year out of ten.
As elsewhere around the world, May is the time when snow and ice begin to melt away and birds and plant life come back to life. However, depending on how harsh the winter was, the ground can remain quite gray and is slow to respond if the winter was particularly cold and icy. The days are long and get a lot longer as the month goes on, promising beautiful (and romantic) sunsets which seem to last forever. As a norm, May usually has several days that are either warm or sunny, but not normally both at the same time, so do not underestimate the temperature. This is typically the month when everyone catches a cold exactly for that reason.
Average temperatures for Reykjavík in May
The month of May is characterized by rising daily high temperatures, with daily highs increasing from 7°C to 11°C over the course of the month, exceeding 14°C or dropping below 4°C only one day in ten. Daily low temperatures range from 2°C to 6°C, falling below -2°C or exceeding 8°C only one day in ten.
Sun
Over the course of May, the length of the day is very rapidly increasing. From the start to the end of the month, the length of the day increases by 3:09 hours, implying an average day-over-day increase of 6.1 minutes. The shortest day of the month is May 1 with 16:55 hours of daylight; the longest day is May 31 with 20:04 hours of daylight. The earliest sunrise is at 3:23am on May 31; the latest sunset is at 11:27pm on May 31; the latest sunrise is at 4:58am on May 1; the earliest sunset is at 9:53pm on May 1.
Clouds
The median cloud cover is 89% (mostly cloudy) and does not vary substantially over the course of the month. On May 16, a representative day, the sky is clear or mostly clear 18% of the time, partly cloudy 17% of the time, and mostly cloudy or overcast 59% of the time.
Precipitation
The average probability that some form of precipitation will be observed in a given day is 71%, with little variation over the course of the month. Throughout May, the most common forms of precipitation are moderate rain, light rain, and moderate snow.
Even though summer is in full swing at this point, as far as the weather is concerned, June can still be one of the more unpredictable months of the year. What we like to call the "samples" often characterize the first part of the month which means you could experience a bit of rain, a bit of snow, sunshine and varyingly strong winds... all in the same day! Dress according to this. It is always easier to take of layers of clothing than putting on ones you do not have. Summer solstice is on the 21st of June, at which point the sun really doesn´t go down and you are left with 48 solid hours of daylight. However, as the other days of the month have little to no nighttime anyway, we recommend anyone who is a light sleeper to bring the appropriate paraphernalia.
Average temperatures for Reykjavík in June
The month of June is characterized by gradually rising daily high temperatures, with daily highs around 12°C throughout the month, exceeding 16°C or dropping below 8°C only one day in ten. Daily low temperatures range from 6°C to 8°C, falling below 3°C or exceeding 10°C only one day in ten.
Sun
Over the course of June, the length of the day is gradually increasing. The shortest day of the month is June 1 with 20:09 hours of daylight; the longest day is June 18 with 21:11 hours of daylight. The earliest sunrise is at 2:53am on June 18; the latest sunset is at 12:06am on June 23; the latest sunrise is at 3:23am on June 1; the earliest sunset is at 11:33pm on June 1.
Clouds
The median cloud cover is 89% (mostly cloudy) and does not vary substantially over the course of the month. On June 15, a representative day, the sky is clear or mostly clear 16% of the time, partly cloudy 16% of the time, and mostly cloudy or overcast 63% of the time.
Precipitation
The average probability that some form of precipitation will be observed in a given day is 70%, with little variation over the course of the month. Throughout June, the most common forms of precipitation are moderate rain, light rain, and drizzle.
July is generally the warmest month of the year and gets the most combined days of clear sky's and consecutive days with temperatures exceeding 10°C. The first weekend of the month is normally the busiest as far as camping as Icelanders exit the city in large masses. Nights are usually cool yet pleasant and so ideal for sleeping in tents outdoors. Do not underestimate the strength of the sun in Iceland and be sure to use sun screen on exposed parts on days with a lot of direct sunlight.
Average temperatures for Reykjavík in July
The month of April is characterized by rising daily high temperatures, with daily highs increasing from 4°C to 7°C over the course of the month, exceeding 10°C or dropping below 0°C only one day in ten. Daily low temperatures range from -1°C to 2°C, falling below -6°C or exceeding 6°C only one day in ten.
Sun
Over the course of July, the length of the day is very rapidly decreasing. From the start to the end of the month, the length of the day decreases by 2:46 hours, implying an average day-over-day decrease of 5.4 minutes. The shortest day of the month is July 31 with 18:03 hours of daylight; the longest day is July 1 with 20:49 hours of daylight. The earliest sunrise is at 3:07am on July 1; the latest sunset is at 11:56pm on July 1; the latest sunrise is at 4:31am on July 31; the earliest sunset is at 10:34pm on July 31.
Clouds
The median cloud cover is 90% (mostly cloudy) and does not vary substantially over the course of the month. On July 16, a representative day, the sky is clear or mostly clear 14% of the time, partly cloudy 15% of the time, and mostly cloudy or overcast 65% of the time.
Precipitation
The average probability that some form of precipitation will be observed in a given day is 70%, with little variation over the course of the month. Throughout July, the most common forms of precipitation are moderate rain, light rain, and drizzle.
August is more often than not marked by summer storms, especially during the first 15 days of the month. Temperatures tend to be stable, though, and aside from storms, is not generally very windy. Humidity reaches its peak and there can be many cloudy and humid days. If travelling outside the city make sure to keep the raincoat close by. The summer showers come quick and hard.
Average temperatures for Reykjavík in August
The month of August is characterized by gradually falling daily high temperatures, with daily highs around 13°C throughout the month, exceeding 17°C or dropping below 10°C only one day in ten. Daily low temperatures range from 7°C to 9°C, falling below 4°C or exceeding 11°C only one day in ten.
Sun
Over the course of August, the length of the day is very rapidly decreasing. From the start to the end of the month, the length of the day decreases by 3:14 hours, implying an average day-over-day decrease of 6.3 minutes. The shortest day of the month is August 31 with 14:37 hours of daylight; the longest day is August 1 with 17:51 hours of daylight. The earliest sunrise is at 4:37am on August 1; the latest sunset is at 10:28pm on August 1; the latest sunrise is at 6:08am on August 31; the earliest sunset is at 8:45pm on August 31.
Clouds
The median cloud cover is 90% (mostly cloudy) and does not vary substantially over the course of the month. On August 16, a representative day, the sky is clear or mostly clear 15% of the time, partly cloudy 15% of the time, and mostly cloudy or overcast 64% of the time.
Precipitation
The average probability that some form of precipitation will be observed in a given day is 72%, with little variation over the course of the month. Throughout August, the most common forms of precipitation are moderate rain and light rain.
September is one of those months which can put on display the whole spectrum of the Icelandic climate. In recent years it has been mild though generally it will rain during the first half of the month but thankfully the second half is often dryer. If the weather the past summer has been less than ideal it can invite us to believe we will get an autumn with some well over due sunny spells. The first sightings of the Northern Lights happen, though this is normally not the best month for them.
Average temperatures for Reykjavík in September
The month of September is characterized by falling daily high temperatures, with daily highs decreasing from 12°C to 9°C over the course of the month, exceeding 14°C or dropping below 6°C only one day in ten. Daily low temperatures range from 4°C to 7°C, falling below -0°C or exceeding 10°C only one day in ten.
Sun
Over the course of September, the length of the day is very rapidly decreasing. From the start to the end of the month, the length of the day decreases by 3:06 hours, implying an average day-over-day decrease of 6.2 minutes. The shortest day of the month is September 30 with 11:25 hours of daylight; the longest day is September 1 with 14:30 hours of daylight. The earliest sunrise is at 6:12am on September 1; the latest sunset is at 8:42pm on September 1; the latest sunrise is at 7:34am on September 30; the earliest sunset is at 6:59pm on September 30.
Clouds
The median cloud cover is 89% (mostly cloudy) and does not vary substantially over the course of the month. On September 15, a representative day, the sky is clear or mostly clear 17% of the time, partly cloudy 16% of the time, and mostly cloudy or overcast 61% of the time.
Precipitation
The average probability that some form of precipitation will be observed in a given day is 74%, with little variation over the course of the month. Throughout September, the most common forms of precipitation are moderate rain and light rain.
During October the temperature starts to really drop, especially at night, and the days get considerably shorter. However, the weather is often quite pleasant, in very general terms. The first signs of snow appears and night frost increases considerably. October can often be quite cloudy and so, even though the nights are longer and so it can be likelier to see the Northern Lights, it can also be difficult due to the lack of a clear sky.
Average temperatures for Reykjavík in October
The month of October is characterized by falling daily high temperatures, with daily highs decreasing from 9°C to 5°C over the course of the month, exceeding 12°C or dropping below 1°C only one day in ten. Daily low temperatures range from 1°C to 4°C, falling below -4°C or exceeding 8°C only one day in ten.
Sun
Over the course of October, the length of the day is very rapidly decreasing. From the start to the end of the month, the length of the day decreases by 3:14 hours, implying an average day-over-day decrease of 6.3 minutes. The shortest day of the month is October 31 with 8:04 hours of daylight; the longest day is October 1 with 11:18 hours of daylight. The earliest sunrise is at 7:37am on October 1; the latest sunset is at 6:55pm on October 1; the latest sunrise is at 9:09am on October 31; the earliest sunset is at 5:13pm on October 31.
Clouds
The median cloud cover is 88% (mostly cloudy) and does not vary substantially over the course of the month. On October 16, a representative day, the sky is clear or mostly clear 19% of the time, partly cloudy 17% of the time, and mostly cloudy or overcast 58% of the time.
Precipitation
The average probability that some form of precipitation will be observed in a given day is 74%, with little variation over the course of the month. Throughout October, the most common forms of precipitation are moderate rain, moderate snow, and light rain.
Snow
The likelihood of snow falling is highest around October 31, occurring in 26% of days. Snow rarely accumulates in October.
If you are hunting for the Northern Lights, November is a good month. It can be snowy, though not that much. Nights are cold and windy, both of which are ideal conditions to see the lights, or at least in terms of clear sky's. They days are very short and the sun is very low which can make driving difficult if you are heading towards it. Roads can get very icy, especially in the morning and evening. Dress warmly and be ready for all kinds of weather.
Average temperatures for Reykjavík in November
The month of November is characterized by gradually falling daily high temperatures, with daily highs around 4°C throughout the month, exceeding 9°C or dropping below -1°C only one day in ten. Daily low temperatures are around -0°C, falling below -7°C or exceeding 5°C only one day in ten.
Sun
Over the course of November, the length of the day is very rapidly decreasing. From the start to the end of the month, the length of the day decreases by 2:54 hours, implying an average day-over-day decrease of 5.8 minutes. The shortest day of the month is November 30 with 5:04 hours of daylight; the longest day is November 1 with 7:58 hours of daylight. The earliest sunrise is at 9:12am on November 1; the latest sunset is at 5:10pm on November 1; the latest sunrise is at 10:44am on November 30; the earliest sunset is at 3:48pm on November 30.
Clouds
The median cloud cover is 88% (mostly cloudy) and does not vary substantially over the course of the month. On November 15, a representative day, the sky is clear or mostly clear 19% of the time, partly cloudy 16% of the time, and mostly cloudy or overcast 57% of the time.
Precipitation
The average probability that some form of precipitation will be observed in a given day is 74%, with little variation over the course of the month. Throughout November, the most common forms of precipitation are moderate rain, moderate snow, and light snow.
Snow
The likelihood of snow falling is highest around November 30, occurring in 42% of days. Accumulation in November is extremely unlikely. The chances of there being snow on the ground are highest around November 29, occurring 4% of the time. The snow is typically at its deepest on November 28, with a median depth of 4.5 cm; the depth exceeds 5.5 cm only one year out of ten.
Like January, December is one of the coldest months of the year as well as being the month with the least amount of daylight. The 21st of December winter solstice takes place, leaving us with no more than about 4 hours of daylight. December is generally a good month to see the northern lights, however, as the highlands have usually received a considerable amount of snow by this time, it is advised to drive extra carefully in well prepared vehicles (4X4's).
Average temperatures for Reykjavík in December
The month of December is characterized by gradually falling daily high temperatures, with daily highs around 3°C throughout the month, exceeding 8°C or dropping below -3°C only one day in ten. Daily low temperatures are around -2°C, falling below -9°C or exceeding 4°C only one day in ten.
Sun
Over the course of December, the length of the day is gradually decreasing. The shortest day of the month is December 23 with 4:08 hours of daylight; the longest day is December 1 with 4:58 hours of daylight. The earliest sunrise is at 10:48am on December 1; the latest sunset is at 3:46pm on December 1; the latest sunrise is at 11:24am on December 25; the earliest sunset is at 3:27pm on December 16.
Clouds
The median cloud cover is 89% (mostly cloudy) and does not vary substantially over the course of the month. On December 16, a representative day, the sky is clear or mostly clear 18% of the time, partly cloudy 16% of the time, and mostly cloudy or overcast 57% of the time.
Precipitation
The average probability that some form of precipitation will be observed in a given day is 76%, with little variation over the course of the month. Throughout December, the most common forms of precipitation are moderate snow, moderate rain, and light snow.
Snow
The likelihood of snow falling is highest around December 27, occurring in 50% of days. Accumulation at this location in December is very unlikely. The chances of there being snow on the ground are highest around December 27, occurring 5% of the time. The snow is typically at its deepest on December 27, with a median depth of 5.6 cm; the depth exceeds 6.9 cm only one year out of ten.
Public Transport from the Airport
Taxi
Taxis are avaible at the Terminal exit. Departing from the airport to Reykjavík city center fairs on average will be between 15000-18000 ISK.
Bus
There are also buses available and as a rule there will always be buses going to Reykjavík 30 minutes or so after each arrival. The journey takes on average 1 hour, depending on the number of stops they will have to make, and will take you directly to your hotel. Flybus is the most frequent and can be booked through Reykjavík Excursions. This is by far the most economic option.
It is generally not necessary to book a space before hand though if you wnat to do so you can via the following link:
Other practicals
Currency
The currency used in Iceland is the Króna. It can be very difficult get this currency outside of Iceland. However, Iceland is a mostly cash free society so credit cards are accepted in all shops, hotels and restaurants. Cash-points are available across the city center with in a 5 minute walk. Bank branches, exchange desk offices and tourist information handle currency exchange transactions and traveller’s cheques. You may be able to change money at certain hotels though rates may be less favorable. We recommend taking out some money from cash-points for walking around while paying for most things with a credit card. Whatever you buy, prices are net.
Calls
To call abroad: 00 + country exchange number + number. The national telephone code for Iceland is “354″.
Electric Standards
220 Volts – 380 Volts / 50 Hertz
Tips
You are strongly recommended to respect smoking/no smoking signs in public places. Outside of bars and restaurants alcaholic beverages can only be purchased in a certain chain of stores called Vínbúð which closes at 18h daily.
