Are you tempted to see this magical island? Iceland is like an unknown treasure, hidden in the far northern waters. Those who face cold weather and unpleasantly high prices will be rewarded in the form of an unforgettable life experience. However, the question is the timing of the holiday. When to go to Iceland and what is the weather like on this island in different parts of the year?
Due to its northern location and different layout of the light clock, it is harder to hit the right holiday date so that you have enough light for all your daily activities and trips. However, choosing the most suitable date will also depend on what is most important for you on holiday and how you are going to spend your stay.
When to go to Iceland if you want to have favorable weather?
The warmest month of the year is July with average daily temperatures of 9-14 degrees Celsius. August is only slightly colder (temperature 8 – 13 degrees). If you want to enjoy as much light as possible, choose June for travel, which is typical for your never-ending day (the light is here 24 hours a day).
Be prepared for the fact that even if you set off in the summer months, you may still face storms, rain and strong winds. So adapt your clothes to the Icelandic weather.
What about the amount of light in different parts of the year?
In the clear table we have listed sunrises and sunsets and the average number of hours of daylight.
Moon Approximate time of sunrise Approximate time of sunset Number of hours after which there is daylight
January 11: 00 16: 15 5
February 9: 30 17: 00 7, 5
March 8: 00 17: 30 9, 5
April 6: 00 20: 00 14
May 3: 00 23: 00 20
June – – 24
July 4: 00 23: 00 19
August 5: 00 21: 45 17
September 7: 00 20: 00 13
October 8: 00 18: 00 10
November 10: 00 16: 30 6, 5
December 11: 30 15: 30 4
When will you experience the Northern Lights in Iceland?
In addition to the fascinating landscape, geysers and waterfalls, aurora borealis is a great attraction for travelers. Colorful streams of light dancing across the dark sky are an experience that many travelers long for.
You can see the Northern Lights in Iceland from September to April. Aurora Borealis occurs in Iceland even in summer, but is not visible due to the long bright days. The darkest nights occur from November to February, which will significantly enhance the experience of this spectacle.
The strength of aurorae depends on the strength of the Earth’s magnetic field. To choose the right time to observe, download an application that is able to predict how many hours of the day you can see the aurora borealis. Simply enter the phrase “aurora forecast app,” into an Internet search engine, and you’ll see a variety of application options for aurora forecasting. The aurora prediction is measured on a scale from 0 to 9, and all values higher than 2 mean a promising spectacle.
Unfortunately, the occurrence of aurora can be predicted a maximum of a few days in advance. Its visibility depends on four factors:
magical field strength
darkness
clear sky without clouds
absence of light smog
Therefore, dark clear nights and places that are far from big cities are best for observing aurora borealis.
However, do not go to Iceland just to see the aurora borealis. Choose a holiday in Iceland because of the destination itself and take the aurora borealis only as a pleasant bonus. It is not always lucky to see her and often does not even show up for 3 weeks. Don’t stick too much to seeing her, so that you are not disappointed.
When are there fewer tourists in Iceland?
When thinking about when to go to Iceland, you may have wondered what it would be like to go to this island outside the tourist season, that is, from September to April. The fear that you would freeze in this Nordic country is completely useless. As you may have read in one of our tables at the top of the article, even in winter temperatures in Iceland do not fall significantly below zero. The only disadvantage is the short days, so you will only have a very short time for your trips and you will not have time to travel as much as in the summer.
The solution may be to travel in autumn (September – October) or in spring (March – April), when daylight is at least 10 o’clock, but the island has not yet been filled with crowds of tourists.
Traveling in a less busy part of the year can mean not only fewer tourists, but also lower prices for accommodation and car rental. You can rent a car a third cheaper than in the summer months, and discounts are also evident in the accommodation facilities.
Because we are a price comparator, we have compared how the prices of different hotels and hostels differ in the tourist season and off-season.