Iceland weather in January
Iceland in January averages 0°C (31°F), 61 mm of rain and 0.2 hours of sun a day.
Of the twelve months in Iceland, January is the third coldest, the fourth wettest and the second dullest.
- Average temp
- 0°C (31°F)
-3–3°C · 26–37°F
- Rainfall
- 61 mm
Showers likely
- Sunshine
- 0.2 h
hours per day
What is Iceland like in January?
Daytime
Days are cool.
Rain
Some rain is likely; pack for showers.
Evening
Evenings are cooler. A layer helps after sunset.
What should I pack for Iceland in January?
A light rain jacket
About 61 mm falls this month — showers rather than washouts.
A warm mid-layer
Nights drop to around -3°C (26°F).
January compared with December and February
January in Iceland is about the same temperature as December and 12 mm drier than it, which averages -1°C (31°F).
January in Iceland is 0.5°C warmer than February and 10 mm wetter than it, which averages -1°C (31°F).
Daylight in Iceland in January
On 15 January the sun is up for 5 hours 2 minutes in Iceland, rising about 10:54 and setting about 15:56 local time.
January ends 2 hours 49 minutes longer than it begins, so the last week of the month is a different length of day from the first.
That is 16 hours 50 minutes short of June, the longest-lit month here.
Travel guides for Iceland
What to read before you book.
Iceland weather by month
TemperatureRainfall
How January compares with the rest of the year
January is highlighted. Every other month links to its own page.
| Month | Average | Rainfall |
|---|---|---|
| January | 0°C / 31°F | 61 mm |
| February | -1°C / 31°F | 51 mm |
| March | 0°C / 33°F | 50 mm |
| April | 3°C / 38°F | 25 mm |
| May | 7°C / 44°F | 23 mm |
| June | 10°C / 50°F | 20 mm |
| July | 12°C / 53°F | 33 mm |
| August | 11°C / 53°F | 40 mm |
| September | 9°C / 47°F | 51 mm |
| October | 4°C / 39°F | 78 mm |
| November | 1°C / 33°F | 64 mm |
| December | -1°C / 31°F | 73 mm |
Similar weather in January
Other destinations whose January averages sit close to this one.
Check another month
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FAQs about Iceland in January
January climate averages for Iceland, 1991–2020.
Iceland averages 0°C (31°F) in January, ranging from about -3°C (26°F) at night to 3°C (37°F) in the afternoon. That is a 1991–2020 average, so an individual week can run either side of it.
Some. About 61 mm falls across January, enough to need a light jacket but not enough to reshape a trip.
Yes. January averages 0°C (31°F) against -1°C (31°F) in February — 0.5°C warmer.
January is about as warm as December, and 12 mm drier.
It is outside the easiest window. The most comfortable stretch here is April to September; January sits outside it, which usually means more heat, more rain, or both — worth it if you would rather have the place to yourself.
About 0.2 hours of sun a day on the 1991–2020 average, so daylight is short on useful sun.
This page does not show today's weather. It is a 1991–2020 climate normal from Meteostat — a long-run average of what January is usually like, which is what you want when booking months ahead. For today or the coming week, check a live forecast.
About 5 hours 2 minutes of daylight in mid-January, against 21 hours 52 minutes in June and 3 hours 42 minutes in December.
On 15 January, sunrise is about 10:54 and sunset about 15:56 local time. Both shift across the month — the month ends 2 hours 49 minutes longer than it starts.
