Reykjavik records about 800mm of rain across roughly 213 wet days a year, which is a 58% chance on an average day. October is the wettest month at 86mm (11% of the annual total) and May the driest at 44mm. Local rain type: steady rain. Umbrellas are useless in Reykjavik due to strong winds — invest in a high-quality windproof rain jacket with a hood. Layered waterproofs are the Icelandic survival kit.
Chance of rain on an average day: 58%
Rainfall climatology for Reykjavik. The live hour-by-hour answer for today loads at the top of this page from Open-Meteo and refreshes through the day — the figures below describe a typical year, not today.
Last updated: · Live forecast data refreshes hourly.
| Annual rainfall | 800mm |
| Rain days per year | 213 |
| Odds on an average day | 58% |
| Wettest month | October — 86mm over 23 days |
| Driest month | May — 44mm over 12 days |
| Rain type | steady rain |
| Best dry window | May and June offer the longest days and least precipitation, though "dry" is relative in Iceland. |
| Worst rain window | October through January brings wind-driven rain, sleet, and limited daylight. |
October delivers 95% more rain than May (86mm vs 44mm). That gap is the difference between planning around showers and ignoring them.
No single month holds more than 11% of the annual total, so rain in Reykjavik is spread through the year — there is no season you can rely on being dry.
Reykjavik rain typically comes as discrete showers, so a compact umbrella and a flexible plan are usually enough.
Rain falls on about 23 days in October against 12 in May — the frequency swing matters more for planning than the millimetre totals.
Climate normals. Use them to judge whether today's live forecast at the top of the page is typical or unusual for the season.
| Month | Rainfall | Rain days | Chance on a given day | Highs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 76mm | 20 | 67% | 3°C |
| February | 72mm | 19 | 63% | 3°C |
| March | 82mm | 22 | 73% | 5°C |
| April | 58mm | 15 | 50% | 7°C |
| May | 44mm | 12 | 40% | 10°C |
| June | 50mm | 13 | 43% | 12°C |
| July | 52mm | 14 | 47% | 14°C |
| August | 63mm | 17 | 57% | 14°C |
| September | 67mm | 18 | 60% | 12°C |
| October | 86mm | 23 | 77% | 10°C |
| November | 73mm | 19 | 63% | 7°C |
| December | 79mm | 21 | 70% | 5°C |
Rain probability is the chance that at least 0.2mm falls at your location — not how long it rains. For Reykjavik we combine the hourly probability curve, expected volume in millimetres, and the city's own rainfall record into a single umbrella verdict.
| Factor | Weight | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly probability | 40% | Peak and sustained chance of measurable rain across the next 24 hours. |
| Expected volume | 30% | Total millimetres, which separates a passing shower from a genuine soaking. |
| Timing & duration | 20% | When rain starts, when it eases, and the longest continuous dry window. |
| Local rain type | 10% | Drizzle, brief showers, thunderstorms or monsoon — each needs different gear. |
Live hourly values come from Open-Meteo and refresh through the day. Monthly rainfall figures are climate normals, so they describe a typical year rather than a forecast.
Reykjavik records rain on roughly 213 days a year — about a 58% chance on any given day — totalling around 800mm.
October, with about 86mm over 23 rain days. That is 11% of the entire year's rainfall in a single month.
May is the driest month at 44mm across roughly 12 days. May and June offer the longest days and least precipitation, though "dry" is relative in Iceland.
Umbrellas are useless in Reykjavik due to strong winds — invest in a high-quality windproof rain jacket with a hood. Layered waterproofs are the Icelandic survival kit.
No. Probability is the chance that at least 0.2mm of rain falls at your location at some point in the period. Check the expected millimetres alongside it: 40% with 0.4mm is a passing shower, 40% with 12mm is a soaking.