Your March weather guide
CoolWeather in Reykjavik in March
March is a reasonable time for Reykjavik if you are happy with a cold, wet city break, but not if you want spring warmth. Average highs are 2.5°C, nights fall to -2.6°C, and about 17 days have rain. For a UK traveller, the practical question is how much outdoor time you want: warm layers and waterproofs make short outings more manageable, while plans that depend on staying outside all day are less appealing.
Long-term climate averages for Reykjavík, not a forecast · 1991-2020
Reykjavik, month by month
Your snapshot
At a glance
The useful details for Reykjavík.
- Average daytime high
- 2.5°C
- 9 in 10 days stay below 7°C
- Average night-time low
- -2.6°C
- coldest 10% of nights: -9°C or lower
- Compared with London
- -8.0°C
- London averages 10.5°C in March
- Sunshine per day (est.)
- 2.8h
- 25% of 11.3 h of daylight
- Rainy days (1 mm+)
- 17
- 118 mm over the month
- Humidity
- 80%
- Days over 25°C
- 0%
- none over 30°C
- Record high 1991-2020
- 10.4°C
- 2005-03-27
- Record low 1991-2020
- -20.8°C
- 1998-03-05
- Flight from London
- ≈ 3 h 6 min
- 1918 km, short-haul (estimate for a direct flight)
Records are observed extremes within 1991-2020, not typical holiday conditions. Warm-day percentages are shares of days, not day counts.
How March compares
March is the 9th warmest month of the year in Reykjavik. Against London's average high of 10.5°C in March, Reykjavik is 8.0°C cooler by day and 5.9°C cooler at night.
Daytime and night-time in March
The typical March day in Reykjavik peaks at 2.5°C, but that is an average: the warmest 10% of days reach 6.8°C or more. Days over 25°C are rare. Nights average -2.6°C; one night in ten drops to -8.6°C or lower, so pack a layer for evenings - it is genuinely cool after dark. Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest March day here reached 10.4°C (2005-03-27) and the coldest night -20.8°C (1998-03-05).
Rain in March
Wet (more than 8 rainy days): about 17 days with 1 mm or more, 118 mm in total. Year to year it varies a lot - the wettest March was 2000 with 232 mm, the driest 2001 with 38 mm. Humidity averages 80%.
Sunshine and daylight
Around 2.8 hours of sunshine a day (estimated from cloud cover), 11.3 hours of daylight: the sun rises about 07:46 and sets about 19:27 local time in mid-March. Average cloud cover is 75%.
Is March a good time to visit Reykjavik?
March is not the strongest month here: cool days and frequent rain. The best months for Reykjavik on our scoring are June, May, July.
Pack for cold days and freezing evenings
The daytime average is above freezing, but that is not enough warmth to make light spring clothing a sensible choice. Bring an insulated coat, layers, gloves and a hat, with footwear suited to cold, wet conditions. Milder days can reach 6.8°C or more, so removable layers are useful, but do not pack around that possibility. The coldest nights fall to -8.6°C or lower, making evening clothing particularly important. March suits travellers who are comfortable taking breaks indoors between outings. If your ideal city break involves lingering outside without thinking about the temperature, this is a poor fit.
There is daylight to use, but little sunshine
March offers about 11.3 hours of daylight, so daylight itself is less restrictive than the cold and rain. Sunshine averages only 2.8 hours a day: do not confuse time available for exploring with time spent in sun. With rain on about 17 days, a waterproof outer layer and a flexible daily plan are more useful than hoping for a dry stay. Keep outdoor plans movable and allow time to warm up and dry off indoors. The catch is not that every day will be wet throughout, but that rain is common enough to shape your packing and expectations.
A little perspective
Reykjavik through the year
March is highlighted. See how it compares with the rest of the year.
| Month | Day | Night | Sun/day | Rain mm | Rainy days | Days 25°C+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 1.2°C | -3.5°C | 1.1 | 131 | 18 | 0% |
| February | 1.3°C | -3.5°C | 2.0 | 131 | 17 | 0% |
| MarchSelected | 2.5°C | -2.6°C | 2.8 | 118 | 17 | 0% |
| April | 5.6°C | 0.0°C | 4.0 | 104 | 17 | 0% |
| Maybest | 9.3°C | 3.3°C | 4.8 | 92 | 16 | 0% |
| Junebest | 12.5°C | 6.8°C | 4.9 | 80 | 14 | 0% |
| Julybest | 14.3°C | 8.7°C | 4.4 | 86 | 15 | 0% |
| August | 13.3°C | 8.2°C | 3.7 | 104 | 16 | 0% |
| September | 10.3°C | 5.8°C | 2.8 | 134 | 18 | 0% |
| October | 6.0°C | 2.0°C | 2.6 | 121 | 15 | 0% |
| November | 2.8°C | -0.9°C | 1.5 | 121 | 16 | 0% |
| December | 1.3°C | -3.2°C | 0.9 | 133 | 18 | 0% |
Day = average daytime high, night = average night-time low, 1991-2020.Sun is hours per day; rainy days count 1 mm or more.
Day, night and sea
Monthly average temperatures, 1991-2020
- Day
- Night
Best months here
On warmth, low rainfall and sunshine, start with these.
Keep exploring
Similar in March
Closest matches on daytime temperature, sea temperature and sunshine, in other countries.
A little more detail
Reykjavik in March FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Is Reykjavik hot in March?
Reykjavik is cool in March: the average daytime high is 2.5°C and nights average -2.6°C. Days over 25°C are rare in March.
How much does it rain in Reykjavik in March?
Reykjavik sees about 17 rainy days (1 mm or more) and 118 mm of rain in a typical March. The wettest March between 1991 and 2020 was 2000 (232 mm) and the driest was 2001 (38 mm).
How sunny is Reykjavik in March?
Reykjavik gets around 2.8 hours of sunshine a day in March out of 11.3 hours of daylight (estimated from average cloud cover).
How does Reykjavik compare with the UK in March?
Reykjavik is on average 8.0°C cooler than London by day in March (2.5°C against 10.5°C).
What is the hottest March on record in Reykjavik?
Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest March day in Reykjavik reached 10.4°C on 2005-03-27, and the coldest night dropped to -20.8°C on 1998-03-05.
How much colder is Reykjavik than London in March?
Reykjavik's average daytime high is 2.5°C, compared with 10.5°C in London, a difference of 8°C. That is a substantial step down from a London March day, so pack for colder conditions rather than relying on your usual spring jacket.
How long is the flight from London?
The flight from London is about 3 h 6 min, making Reykjavik a short-haul option. The journey may be relatively short, but the colder weather calls for proper warm clothing rather than light spring packing.
Would another month be a better choice for weather?
June, May and July are the better weather choices in Reykjavik. If weather is your main reason for choosing when to travel, favour those over March, whose combination of cold days and frequent rain makes outdoor plans less straightforward.
About these averages
ERA5-Land climate reanalysis via Open-Meteo (11 km grid), 1991-2020
Averages computed from daily values at Reykjavík. Sunshine hours are estimated from average cloud cover.Records are the highest and lowest daily values in that 30-year period, not all-time records. These are climate averages, not a forecast for your trip. How we measure holiday weather
- Hot · 25°C+
- Warm · 20°C to below 25°C
- Mild · 15°C to below 20°C
- Cool · below 15°C