Vatnajokull Weather, Month by Month
Weather decides what you do on the ice, more than whether you go. Hikes run in rain and snow, caves need the cold, and wind stops the kayak. The figures below are the Icelandic Met Office's own means for a Vatnajokull glacier tour from Skaftafell.
What the weather does to a Vatnajokull tour
Rain does not stop a glacier hike. You get wet, you keep walking, and the guide keeps an eye on the ice. Wind is what stops things. The kayak and the long Skaftafell hikes are the first to be called off.
When an operator cancels for weather, you are offered another date or your money back. Every tour here also refunds in full if you cancel 24 hours ahead. So you can watch the forecast and decide the day before.
Cold matters most underground. Natural ice caves form and stay safe only in the cold months. That is why a cave in summer is not on offer.
Vatnajokull weather month by month
Each month gives the mean and the mean maximum from station 745 at Fagurhólsmýri in Öræfi, the nearest temperature record to the bases. Rain and snow come from the Skaftafell station, and sunshine from Reykjavík. The two temperature records sit within a degree of each other in every month.
Vatnajokull weather in January
Mean 1.1 °C in Öræfi, highs around 3.9 °C. About 177 mm of rain and snow falls at Skaftafell. Reykjavík sees 23 hours of sun. A cave month. Skaftafellsstofa keeps short hours, 10:00 to 17:00. Fit winter tyres and drive east in daylight.
Vatnajokull weather in February
Mean 0.7 °C in Öræfi, highs around 3.7 °C. About 178 mm of rain and snow falls at Skaftafell. Reykjavík sees 62 hours of sun. The coldest mean on the Öræfi record. Caves and hikes both run. Expect ice on the car park as well as on the glacier.
Vatnajokull weather in March
Mean 1.4 °C in Öræfi, highs around 4.4 °C. About 132 mm of rain and snow falls at Skaftafell. Reykjavík sees 110 hours of sun. The capital's sunshine almost doubles on February. The visitor centre opens at 09:00 again. Cave tours still run.
Vatnajokull weather in April
Mean 3.8 °C in Öræfi, highs around 7.0 °C. About 112 mm of rain and snow falls at Skaftafell. Reykjavík sees 165 hours of sun. Spring starts, in the park's terms. Muddy trails may close. Some of the last cave tours of the season run this month.
Vatnajokull weather in May
Mean 6.5 °C in Öræfi, highs around 9.8 °C. About 91 mm of rain and snow falls at Skaftafell. Reykjavík sees 209 hours of sun. The driest month at Skaftafell and the sunniest in Reykjavík. Hikes run. The cave season is over or ending.
Vatnajokull weather in June
Mean 9.1 °C in Öræfi, highs around 12.2 °C. About 93 mm of rain and snow falls at Skaftafell. Reykjavík sees 190 hours of sun. The visitor centre stays open to 19:00. Every area of the park opens as the mountain routes clear. Book hikes ahead.
Vatnajokull weather in July
Mean 10.7 °C in Öræfi, highs around 13.8 °C. About 102 mm of rain and snow falls at Skaftafell. Reykjavík sees 183 hours of sun. The warmest mean of the year, level with August. Summer is the park's busiest season. Drones may fly at the lagoon again after 15 July.
Vatnajokull weather in August
Mean 10.7 °C in Öræfi, highs around 13.9 °C. About 131 mm of rain and snow falls at Skaftafell. Reykjavík sees 165 hours of sun. The highest mean maximum of the year. Rain starts to climb again. Book hikes ahead in the busy weeks.
Vatnajokull weather in September
Mean 8.4 °C in Öræfi, highs around 11.4 °C. About 190 mm of rain and snow falls at Skaftafell. Reykjavík sees 118 hours of sun. The wettest month at Skaftafell. Autumn begins, and rangers leave the highlands. Wind is the main reason tours are called off.
Vatnajokull weather in October
Mean 5.0 °C in Öræfi, highs around 7.8 °C. About 156 mm of rain and snow falls at Skaftafell. Reykjavík sees 92 hours of sun. Cave contracts start on 1 October. In 2024 the park barred cave entry until 30 October, so a cave is possible, not certain.
Vatnajokull weather in November
Mean 2.5 °C in Öræfi, highs around 5.1 °C. About 140 mm of rain and snow falls at Skaftafell. Reykjavík sees 40 hours of sun. The visitor centre closes at 17:00. Caves run when the operator judges them safe. Pack crampons for icy paths.
Vatnajokull weather in December
Mean 1.3 °C in Öræfi, highs around 4.1 °C. About 169 mm of rain and snow falls at Skaftafell. Reykjavík sees 13 hours of sun. The least sunshine of the year in Reykjavík. Hikes run, and caves when judged safe. The visitor centre opens 10:00 to 17:00.
The seasons, and which one you want
The park splits the year its own way: spring from April, autumn from September, and a long winter. The table follows that split.
| Season | Öræfi mean | Mean maximum | Rain and snow a month | Reykjavík sun a month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter: November to March | 1.4 °C | 4.2 °C | About 159 mm | About 50 hours |
| Spring: April and May | 5.2 °C | 8.4 °C | About 102 mm | About 187 hours |
| Summer: June to August | 10.2 °C | 13.3 °C | About 109 mm | About 179 hours |
| Autumn: September and October | 6.7 °C | 9.6 °C | About 173 mm | About 105 hours |
Pick winter for a cave. It is cold but not severe on this coast: no month in Öræfi averages below 0.7 °C. You trade light and road conditions for it. Pick summer for the longest days and every trail open. Spring is the driest window, and autumn the wettest.
The park calls the Skaftafell climate hospitable, often better in the shelter of Öræfajökull than in the areas around it. That shelter ends where the ice begins.
Picked your season?
Hikes run every month and caves in the cold season. Compare the fares for your dates.
Best time of day
In winter, go early. The light is short, and the drive back is on Route 1, so the earliest slot that fits gives you daylight on the ice and on the road.
In summer, time of day matters less, because the light lasts well into the evening. Pick the slot that suits your drive. Whatever you choose, arrive 20 minutes early at the Skaftafell bases, because gear fitting comes first.
Asked about the weather
What happens if the weather is bad?
How cold is it on Vatnajökull in summer?
What is the wettest month at Skaftafell?
Is Skaftafell warmer than Reykjavík?
Where do I check the forecast?
Where these figures come from
Temperatures are the Icelandic Met Office's monthly means for station 745, which cover 1991 to 2008, when that record ends. Precipitation is station 748 at Skaftafell and sunshine is Reykjavík, both 1991 to 2020. The seasons and closures are the national park's own, read 23 September 2026.
- Monthly means, station 745 in Öræfi (Icelandic Met Office)
- Monthly precipitation, station 748 at Skaftafell (Icelandic Met Office)
- Monthly means, station 1 at Reykjavík (Icelandic Met Office)
- Seasons: access and conditions through the year (national park)
- Ice caves and glacier walks, 26 September 2024 (national park, in Icelandic)
Next: turn a month into a plan with the calendar by activity, read what to wear on the ice, or compare every fare on Vatnajokull Tours.