What to Wear in Reykjavík
Iceland · 7 monthly packing guides
Reykjavík is the only major capital where summer means a wool sweater — average July high is 15°C / 59°F, and a 9°C / 48°F low is normal even in mid-summer. The city's defining wardrobe feature is the *lopapeysa*, the Icelandic wool sweater with its characteristic round yoke. Wind is the bigger challenge than rain (the Atlantic Gulf Stream warms the air, but Veðurstofa's Reykjavík record puts the mean wind at about 8–12 mph (3.5–5.5 m/s), strongest in February), so windproof outer layers matter more than waterproof. June features near-permanent daylight (the sun never gets more than 5° below the horizon at solstice). The city is small enough that everything is walkable; sneakers or supportive boots, not heels.
Choose your month below to match your layers and shoes to the weather. Across the months covered, average daily lows reach -2°C / 28°F in January; average highs reach 15°C / 59°F in July.
Compare Reykjavík by month
Monthly averages help compare packing needs; check the forecast before departure. Only months with published guides are listed. See the source notes below for station and measurement differences. Scroll across the table to see all weather details on a small screen.
| Month | Average low | Average high | Rain days | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January packing guide | -2°C / 28°F | 3°C / 37°F | 20 | 5h 25m |
| February packing guide | -2°C / 28°F | 3°C / 37°F | 20 | 8h 35m |
| May packing guide | 4°C / 39°F | 10°C / 50°F | 11 | 19h |
| June packing guide | 7°C / 45°F | 13°C / 55°F | 9 | 21h+ (near-permanent daylight) |
| July packing guide | 9°C / 48°F | 15°C / 59°F | 10 | 20h |
| August packing guide | 9°C / 48°F | 14°C / 57°F | 12 | 16h 30m |
| December packing guide | -2°C / 28°F | 3°C / 37°F | 20 | 4h 15m |
Choose your Reykjavík packing list
Reykjavík in January: 3°C / 37°F afternoons, −2°C / 28°F nights, daylight growing from about four hours to seven, and aurora nights spent standing still.
In this capsule: Ivory mid-calf down coat, stand collar; Black insulated snow pants, straight leg; Charcoal wool-blend straight trousers.
Reykjavík in February: 3°C / 37°F afternoons, nights that fall to −2°C / 28°F, and the free Winter Lights Festival from Thursday 4 to Sunday 7 February 2027.
In this capsule: Slate-blue insulated waterproof shell, hooded, hip length; Cream wool roll-neck, mid-weight; Charcoal fleece-lined pull-on trousers, straight leg.
Reykjavík in May is sub-arctic spring — 10°C / 50°F afternoons, 4°C / 39°F mornings, 19h of daylight, 11 rain days. Wind is the bigger challenge than rain.
In this capsule: Merino wool base layer — long-sleeve + tank or shirt; Lopapeysa (Icelandic wool sweater) or wool cardigan; Windproof shell — 66°North or Patagonia Houdini.
Reykjavík in June is the midnight-sun month — 13°C / 55°F, 21+ hours of daylight at solstice (sun never sets below 5° below horizon). The warmest month of the Iceland summer.
In this capsule: Merino wool base layer — long-sleeve + tank; Lopapeysa (Icelandic wool sweater); 66°North or Patagonia windproof shell.
Reykjavík in July is Iceland's peak summer — 15°C / 59°F afternoons, 9°C / 48°F mornings, 20h of daylight. The warmest the country gets, still requiring a wool sweater.
In this capsule: Merino wool base layer — long-sleeve + tank; Lopapeysa or wool cardigan; 66°North windproof shell.
Reykjavík in August is late-summer with Pride and Cultural Night — 14°C / 57°F, 12 rain days, daylight shortening from 16h 30m to 14h 30m through the month.
In this capsule: Merino wool base layer; Lopapeysa or wool cardigan; 66°North windproof shell.
Reykjavík in December: 3°C / 37°F afternoons, −2°C / 28°F nights, the wettest month of the year, and about four hours of daylight on the solstice.
In this capsule: Deep navy insulated waterproof hooded parka, thigh length; Cream lopapeysa with a grey-brown round yoke; Charcoal fleece-lined softshell trousers.
Climate sources by month
These credits follow the source recorded on each monthly guide. Climate figures inform the packing advice; outfit combinations and illustrations are editorial suggestions.
- January: Veðurstofa Íslands · Reykjavík · 1991–2020 normalsaveraged from Veðurstofa Íslands's own monthly series for station 1, Reykjavík, 30 complete Januaries; the counts of days with precipitation and frost are NOAA NCEI's, from its IC000004030 global-summary-of-the-month record, because the Veðurstofa file has no day-count columns.
- February: Veðurstofa Íslands · Reykjavík · 1991–2020 normalsaveraged from Veðurstofa Íslands's own monthly series for station 1, Reykjavík, 30 complete Februaries; the counts of days with precipitation and frost are NOAA NCEI's, from its IC000004030 global-summary-of-the-month record, because the Veðurstofa file has no day-count columns.
- May: Veðurstofa Íslands · 1991–2020 normals
- June: Veðurstofa Íslands · 1991–2020 normals
- July: Veðurstofa Íslands · 1991–2020 normals
- August: Veðurstofa Íslands · 1991–2020 normals
- December: Veðurstofa Íslands · Reykjavík · 1991–2020 normalsaveraged from Veðurstofa Íslands's own monthly series for station 1, Reykjavík, 30 complete Decembers; the counts of days with precipitation and frost are NOAA NCEI's, from its IC000004030 global-summary-of-the-month record, because the Veðurstofa file has no day-count columns.
Frequently asked questions
Start with your travel month. The 7 published guides cover January, February, May, June, July, August, December. Compare the average low as well as the high: among these months, January has the lowest average low at -2°C / 28°F, while July has the highest average high at 15°C / 59°F. For a trip spanning two months, read both lists before deciding which layers to bring.
No. They are monthly climate averages for planning, not temperatures promised for a particular day or hour. Check the local forecast close to departure and adjust your layers and rain protection. The source, station and averaging period are listed for each month where recorded; different stations or rain-day definitions can affect comparisons.
No. Treat the capsule as a set of clothing functions: walking shoes, a base outfit, weather protection and any change for dinner or a venue's dress code. Start with equivalents you own. Adjust quantities to your trip length and laundry access; the illustrations are outfit suggestions, not a shopping requirement.