Iceland weather / West Iceland
West Iceland weather, month by month
West Iceland over 20 years of measurement (2006-2025), not description. Figures are the average across 3 places in the region; the table below each shows how they differ.
Wind: the part people underestimate
In West Iceland, gusts pass 15 m/s on about 15.3 days in January, the windiest month, and reach 20 m/s on about 8.1 days. Above roughly 15 m/s you hold car doors with both hands — a door torn off by wind is one of the most common rental claims in Iceland and standard insurance does not cover it.
Every month in West Iceland
| Month | Temp °C | Rain hours | Rain days | Gusty days | Snow days | Clear dark hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | -0.8 | 264 | 18.5 | 15.3 | 11.6 | 56.1 |
| February | -0.5 | 236 | 16.7 | 14.4 | 10.5 | 51 |
| March | 0.1 | 234 | 16.2 | 14.6 | 10.8 | 39.9 |
| April | 2.8 | 221 | 15.2 | 11.7 | 5.3 | 18.5 |
| May | 6 | 210 | 14.6 | 8.9 | 1.6 | 0 |
| June | 9.4 | 182 | 12.5 | 6 | 0.1 | 0 |
| July | 11.3 | 184 | 12.7 | 5.3 | 0 | 0 |
| August | 10.6 | 198 | 13.3 | 6.4 | 0 | 7 |
| September | 7.9 | 260 | 17.7 | 11.3 | 0.4 | 34.9 |
| October | 4.1 | 238 | 16.8 | 12.4 | 2.8 | 56.9 |
| November | 1.4 | 204 | 14.7 | 13.4 | 5.4 | 66.4 |
| December | -0.8 | 226 | 16.1 | 15.3 | 10.2 | 78.5 |
Averages over 2006-2025. "Rain hours" is hours with measurable precipitation, which tells you more than millimetres do. "Gusty days" are days gusts reach 15 m/s. "Clear dark hours" are hours dark enough for aurora with a sky clear enough to see it.
Where in West Iceland
| Place | Clear dark hours a year | Cloud cover |
|---|---|---|
| Borgarnes | 458 | 72% |
| Stykkishólmur | 413 | 76.6% |
| Arnarstapi | 356 | 78.7% |
The short version
- Wettest: January, about 264 hours of rain.
- Windiest: January, about 15.3 gusty days.
- Warmest: July, averaging 11.3°C.
- Best for aurora: December, about 78.5 clear dark hours.
Every region
South Iceland · East Iceland · West Iceland · North Iceland · Reykjavik & Capital Area · Reykjanes Peninsula · The Highlands · Westfjords
Live weather map · When and where to see the northern lights · Things to see in West Iceland