Iceland conditions today, in one place: where the Northern Lights have a chance tonight, the weather, and the state of the main roads. Below is the outlook for the coming week. The figures refresh throughout the day.
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The live conditions are loading. If they do not appear, use these official sources: weather and warnings at the Icelandic Met Office, road conditions at the Road Administration, the aurora forecast and travel alerts at SafeTravel.
How to read this page
Northern lights. Each area is rated Good, Fair or Poor for tonight. The rating combines two forecasts: how active the lights are expected to be, and how much cloud is expected between 9 pm and 1 am. Good means a clear sky and enough activity. It is a forecast and not a promise. My guide to the Northern Lights in Iceland explains where to go and how to dress for an hour of standing still.
Weather. Temperature, sky, and wind right now in five places around the country. In Iceland, the wind matters more than the temperature. When a place is marked for strong wind, hold on to the car door when you open it and think twice about exposed roads and viewpoints.
Roads. Each line covers a stretch of road and shows the worst condition reported on it by the Icelandic Road Administration. “In places” means only part of the stretch is affected. The highland roads are closed through the winter and open again in summer.
The look ahead. Seven days of weather for five places, with the forecast northern lights activity for each night. The further ahead a forecast reaches, the less you can trust it, so treat the last few days as a rough guide.
What to expect in Iceland in winter
Winter days are short. In Reykjavík, daylight shrinks from about eight hours at the start of November to about four around the winter solstice, then returns to about ten hours by the end of February. Temperatures in the lowlands usually sit close to freezing, and it is colder in the north and inland. The Ring Road is kept open on most days, but mountain passes can close for a few hours or a day when a storm comes through.
None of this needs to spoil a trip. Plan short driving days, drive in daylight, and keep a spare day in hand. You are on holiday, so a slow morning while the weather clears is time well spent.
Common questions
Is it safe to drive in Iceland today?
Look at the Roads section above for the stretch you plan to drive. If it shows closed or impassable, do not go. If it shows slippery or snow-covered, allow more time and drive in daylight. Then check the live map at umferdin.is right before you leave, because conditions change within hours. If you are unsure, wait. My road trip guides have day-by-day plans with realistic driving times.
Where can I see the northern lights in Iceland tonight?
Go where the rating above says Good, or failing that, Fair. Clear sky matters most, and it is often within an hour’s drive. Get away from street lights, give it an hour between 9 pm and 1 am, and park fully off the road. The northern lights season runs from late August to mid-April.
What should I wear in Iceland today?
Dress in layers with a windproof and waterproof shell on top, whatever the forecast says. My guide on how to dress for Iceland has the details. If you didn’t pack for the cold, you can rent outdoor clothing instead of buying it.
Is there a volcanic eruption or a travel alert right now?
This page does not report eruptions, earthquakes or official alerts. For those, check safetravel.is and the Icelandic Met Office, which are the official sources.
How often is this page updated, and where do the figures come from?
The figures refresh about every half hour, and the last update time is shown at the top of the card. Road conditions come from the Icelandic Road Administration, weather and cloud cover from the MET Norway forecast model, and northern lights activity from the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center.