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Reykjavik in December: Weather, Average temperature and Climate

Take a look at past year’s weather for Reykjavik in December and see if it is worth visiting.
Check flight prices to Reykjavik on Avionero:
December

Weather in Reykjavik in December 2024

OK Weather
Chill
☁️
Cloudy
If you plan to visit Reykjavik in December, the weather is typically alright, with an average high temperature of +37°F during the day and approximately 4 sunny days. Expect some rainy, though, as there are typically 6 rainy days in the month and around 69 mm of precipitation. The weather is changeable so you may have to pack for every eventuality. Search flights in one click on Avionero.

Average weather

☀️
+37°F
Avg. max. temperature
-2°F
Min.
+54°F
Max.
69 mm
Total precipitation
78%
Avg. humidity
4 m/s
Avg. wind
4 ☀️
Sunny Days
17 ⛅️
Cloudy
6 🌦
Rainy
Our opinion: Reykjavik has OK weather in December.

Average temperature in Reykjavik in December

Here are the expected maximum, average and minimum temperatures in Reykjavik for December based on the historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data

The expected average maximum temperature in December is +28°F with a maximum of +46°F and a minimum of +5°F.

The average maximum temperature goes down 43% by the end of the month, compared with the beginning of the month, from +46°F to +28°F.

Is Reykjavik warm or cold in December?

Reykjavik is typically chill in December.

Maximum temperatures go down compared to the previous month from +39°F to +37°F. The minimum temperature also goes down from +32°F to +28°F.

Pack a jumper and a jacket as there will be cooler temperatures.

Take a look at how December is compared to other months in Reykjavik:

Climate in Reykjavik in December

Reykjavik weather looks like this, on average, in December and the surrounding months.
NovemberDecemberJanuary
Avg. temperature
+39°F+37°F+36°F
Min. temperature
+1°F-2°F-4°F
Max. temperature
+55°F+54°F+50°F
Rainfall
78 mm69 mm72 mm
Wind
4 m/s4 m/s4 m/s
Humidity
78%78%78%
Air pressure
1000 HPa997 HPa997 HPa
Sunny days
444
Cloudy days
161717
Rainy days
866
Snowy days
244

December weather is still as ok as in November. It’s getting colder in December. From +39°F in the day, the average maximum temperature lowers to +37°F. As December arrives, the amount of rainfall goes down. On average, the rainfall volume decreases from 78 mm to 69 mm. Humidity levels don’t change as the month goes on, averaging around 78%. The average wind speed doesn’t change much during December, staying around 4 m/s. The amount of sunny days stay about the same, averaging 4 sunny days during the month.

January brings much the same weather, it remains ok.

Wind

Wind speed in Reykjavik in December based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data

The average wind speed is 4 m/s getting up to 9 m/s which is a medium breeze. You can feel it, especially getting out of the water.

The average wind speed in Reykjavik is gradually decreasing during December, going from 9 m/s to 6 m/s over the course of the month.

Rain

Amount of rainfall in mm during December in Reykjavik based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
A chance of rain on a typical day in December stands at 6%, leading to total precipitation of around 16 mm. The maximum amount of rainfall per day is around 10 mm, which is considered light rain. Reykjavik is amazing in December with as little as 2 rainy days on average, so plan adventures in the great outdoors.
Here’s how December is compared with other months in the amount of precipitation, total mm:
Reykjavik wettest month is September, where a typical day has a 37% chance of precipitation and 98 mm of rainfall per day. March, on the other hand, is the driest month with a mere 19% chance of precipitation and 66 mm of rainfall per day.

Snow

Amount of snow in mm during December in Reykjavik based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
Typically, there is a 10% chance of snow on an average day in December, with a total monthly snowfall of approximately 26 mm.

December is one of the snowiest months in Reykjavik.

Here’s how December is compared with other months in the amount of snow, total mm:

How was the weather last December in Reykjavik?

This is the weather in Reykjavik in December 2023:
1 December
🌧️
+46°F
2 December
🌧️
+42°F
3 December
☀️
+39°F
4 December
☀️
+37°F
5 December
🌫️
+35°F
6 December
☀️
+35°F
7 December
☀️
+33°F
8 December
☀️
+31°F
9 December
☀️
+31°F
10 December
☀️
+28°F
11 December
☀️
+31°F
12 December
☀️
+28°F
13 December
☀️
+25°F
14 December
☀️
+24°F
15 December
☀️
+23°F
16 December
☀️
+25°F
17 December
🌨️
+30°F
18 December
☀️
+26°F
19 December
☀️
+28°F
20 December
☁️
+32°F
21 December
☀️
+30°F
22 December
☀️
+26°F
23 December
☀️
+20°F
24 December
🌨️
+23°F
25 December
☁️
+28°F
26 December
☀️
+25°F
27 December
☁️
+28°F
28 December
☀️
+20°F
29 December
☀️
+20°F
30 December
☀️
+11°F
31 December
🌨️
+28°F
In December 2023 Reykjavik had 22 sunny days, 3 cloudy days, and 2 rainy days. The average maximum temperature was +28°F, with an absolute maximum of +46°F and a minimum of +10°F. The average humidity was 74%, with a maximum of 100% and a minimum of 42%. The average wind speed was 4 m/s, with a maximum of 14 m/s and a minimum of 0 m/s.
Are you planning a trip in December?

Climate Change Over the Years

This is how Reykjavik climate has changed over the last 43 years.

The climate in Reykjavik in December has not changed that much over the last 43 years.

The average temperature was the lowest in 2022 (+31°F) and the highest in 2002 (+47°F). The driest year was 2011 with only 3 mm of rainfall, and the wettest year was 2005 with 194 mm.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the weather in Reykjavik in December:

Is December a good time to visit Reykjavik?

It’s always a good time to visit Reykjavik, but the weather is changeable in December, so plan a mix of indoor and outdoor activities and exploring, and pack for every eventuality.

Can you sunbathe in Reykjavik in December?

Not really, December is not the best time to sunbathe, unless you visit a local solarium.

Is Reykjavik rainy in December?

Reykjavik is often rainy in December. You may get a bit damp when outside, so pack an umbrella, and maybe even a raincoat.

Is it sunny in Reykjavik in December?

Usually, it’s not very sunny in Reykjavik in December, often it’s pretty cloudy. Pack for any eventuality; layering can help reduce the number of bulky items needed.

Monthly weather in Reykjavik

Source of the data

For this page, we’ve looked at the typical weather in Reykjavik, based on historical hourly weather data from January 1, 1979, to December 31, 2022.

For past dates, we show actual recorded data at the location at that time. Forecasts are based on recorded weather during that day of the year, averaged over the total years for which we have records (unless stated otherwise). The daily temperature is the highest recorded temperature in the shadow during that day.