Your October weather guide
CoolWeather in Reykjavik in October
Reykjavik in October suits a short city break if you are happy to dress for cold, wet weather rather than spend all day outdoors. Average highs of 6°C and night-time lows of 2°C make warm layers essential, while about 15 rainy days mean waterproofs deserve space in your bag. Go with flexible plans and realistic expectations: the weather leaves room for outdoor time, but warmth and reliably dry days are not the draw.
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
- 6.0°C
- 9 in 10 days stay below 10°C
- Average night-time low
- 2.0°C
- coldest 10% of nights: -2°C or lower
- Compared with London
- -8.6°C
- London averages 14.6°C in October
- Sunshine per day (est.)
- 2.6h
- 28% of 9.3 h of daylight
- Rainy days (1 mm+)
- 15
- 121 mm over the month
- Humidity
- 84%
- Days over 25°C
- 0%
- none over 30°C
- Record high 1991-2020
- 13.6°C
- 2014-10-07
- Record low 1991-2020
- -9.9°C
- 1998-10-24
- 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 October compares
October is the 6th warmest month of the year in Reykjavik. Against London's average high of 14.6°C in October, Reykjavik is 8.6°C cooler by day and 6.4°C cooler at night.
Daytime and night-time in October
The typical October day in Reykjavik peaks at 6.0°C, but that is an average: the warmest 10% of days reach 9.9°C or more. Days over 25°C are rare. Nights average 2.0°C; one night in ten drops to -2.3°C or lower, so pack a layer for evenings - it is genuinely cool after dark. Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest October day here reached 13.6°C (2014-10-07) and the coldest night -9.9°C (1998-10-24).
Rain in October
Wet (more than 8 rainy days): about 15 days with 1 mm or more, 121 mm in total. Year to year it varies a lot - the wettest October was 2016 with 280 mm, the driest 2013 with 15 mm. Humidity averages 84%.
Sunshine and daylight
Around 2.6 hours of sunshine a day (estimated from cloud cover), 9.3 hours of daylight: the sun rises about 08:18 and sets about 18:09 local time in mid-October. Average cloud cover is 72%.
Is October a good time to visit Reykjavik?
October is not the strongest month here: cool days and frequent rain. The best months for Reykjavik on our scoring are June, May, July.
Dress for cold afternoons and colder evenings
The main catch is that even the afternoon is cool, so pack clothes you can comfortably wear outside rather than relying on a light jacket. A warm outer layer, jumper, gloves and shoes that keep your feet dry are sensible choices. The warmer days reach around 10°C or more, but that is a bonus rather than something to plan around. At the colder end, nights can fall to -2°C or below, making extra warmth useful if you plan to stay out after dark. October suits travellers who do not mind wrapping up; it is a poor fit if mild evenings are important to your holiday.
Keep outdoor plans flexible
Rain is frequent enough to shape your plans, but a rainy day does not necessarily mean every hour is wet. Take a waterproof outer layer and leave room to move outdoor activities around rather than fixing everything in advance. There are about 9.3 hours of daylight, with only 2.6 hours of sunshine on average, so do not picture long, bright days. Use the daylight for the time you most want to spend outside, and keep indoor breaks available when conditions turn uncomfortable. This is a month for accepting changes of plan, not for a trip whose success depends on dry weather throughout.
A little perspective
Reykjavik through the year
October 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% |
| March | 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% |
| OctoberSelected | 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 October
Closest matches on daytime temperature, sea temperature and sunshine, in other countries.
A little more detail
Reykjavik in October FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Is Reykjavik hot in October?
Reykjavik is cool in October: the average daytime high is 6.0°C and nights average 2.0°C. Days over 25°C are rare in October.
How much does it rain in Reykjavik in October?
Reykjavik sees about 15 rainy days (1 mm or more) and 121 mm of rain in a typical October. The wettest October between 1991 and 2020 was 2016 (280 mm) and the driest was 2013 (15 mm).
How sunny is Reykjavik in October?
Reykjavik gets around 2.6 hours of sunshine a day in October out of 9.3 hours of daylight (estimated from average cloud cover).
How does Reykjavik compare with the UK in October?
Reykjavik is on average 8.6°C cooler than London by day in October (6.0°C against 14.6°C).
What is the hottest October on record in Reykjavik?
Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest October day in Reykjavik reached 13.6°C on 2014-10-07, and the coldest night dropped to -9.9°C on 1998-10-24.
How much colder is Reykjavik than London in October?
Reykjavik's average daytime high is 6°C, compared with 14.6°C in London. That is a noticeable step down in temperature: pack for cold outdoor conditions rather than assuming your usual London autumn outfit will be enough.
Is Reykjavik a short-haul trip from London?
Yes. The flight from London takes about 3 h 6 min, making it a short-haul option. The practical trade-off in October is the weather: a relatively short journey still calls for warm layers and waterproof clothing.
Which months are better choices for weather?
June, May and July are the better-rated months for Reykjavik's weather. If your timing is flexible and weather is the deciding factor, favour those over October. October makes more sense if you are comfortable with cool temperatures and frequent rain.
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