Weather in Reykjavik in December 2024
Average weather
Average temperature in Reykjavik in December
The expected average maximum temperature in December is +1°C with a maximum of +8°C and a minimum of -10°C.
The average maximum temperature goes down 6% by the end of the month, compared with the beginning of the month, from 0°C to -1°C.
Is Reykjavik warm or cold in December?
Reykjavik is typically cool in December.
Maximum temperatures go down compared to the previous month from +4°C to +3°C. The minimum temperature also goes down from 0°C to -2°C.
Pack a sweater and a jacket as there will be cooler temperatures.
Take a look at how December is compared to other months in Reykjavik:
Water temperature in Reykjavik in December
Water in Reykjavik in December is Cold. It varies from +6°C to +7°C, with an average of +7°C. Note that the air temperature is lower than the water temperature, averaging around +3°C.
In December, water temperatures are average relative to the rest of the year:
Can you swim in Reykjavik in December?
Climate in Reykjavik in December
| November | December | January | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg. temperature | ||||||
| +4°C | +3°C | +2°C | ||||
| Min. temperature | ||||||
| -17°C | -19°C | -20°C | ||||
| Max. temperature | ||||||
| +13°C | +12°C | +10°C | ||||
| Rainfall | ||||||
| 78 mm | 69 mm | 71 mm | ||||
| Wind | ||||||
| 5 m/s | 5 m/s | 5 m/s | ||||
| Avg. water temperature | ||||||
| +7°C | +7°C | +5°C | ||||
| Humidity | ||||||
| 78% | 78% | 78% | ||||
| Air pressure | ||||||
| 1001 HPa | 998 HPa | 997 HPa | ||||
| Sunny days | ||||||
| 3 | 4 | 3 | ||||
| Cloudy days | ||||||
| 8 | 7 | 7 | ||||
| Rainy days | ||||||
| 12 | 8 | 7 | ||||
| Snowy days | ||||||
| 8 | 12 | 13 | ||||
December weather is still as ok as in November. It’s getting colder in December. From +4°C in the day, the average maximum temperature lowers to +3°C. 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 5 m/s. The good news is there are likely to be more sunny days in December, from 3 to 4.
January brings much the same weather, it remains ok.
Wind
The average wind speed is 4 m/s getting up to 11 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 increasing during December, going from 3 m/s to 3 m/s over the course of the month.
Rain
Snow
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?
Climate Change over Years
The climate in Reykjavik in December has not changed much over the last 43 years.
The average temperature was the lowest in 1979 (+5°C) and the highest in 2003 (+9°C). The driest year was 2019 with only 289 mm of rainfall, and the wettest year was 2003 with 1379 mm.
FAQ
Is December a good time to visit Reykjavik?
Can you sunbathe in Reykjavik in December?
Can you swim in Reykjavik in December?
Is Reykjavik rainy in December?
Is it sunny in Reykjavik in December?
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, 2023.
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.