Reykjavik weather in March

In March, Reykjavik sees average daytime highs of 3°C and overnight lows near -2°C, with 114 mm of precipitation across 16.9 wet days and about 11.2 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 2°C in the first days to 4°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 12% of the time in March, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 30 min at the start of March to 12 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, March is Reykjavik's 5th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Reykjavik's year-round climate.

Daytime high
9th warmest
Overnight low
-2°
4th coldest
Precipitation
114 mm
16.9 wet days
Daylight
11 h 12 min
8:01 AM – 7:13 PM
Cloud cover
76%
5th clearest
Wind
16 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
1.9 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Reykjavik is capital and largest city in Iceland.

Air quality
Good
PM2.5 6.8 µg/m³ · 2018
Density
487/km²
people per km²
Founded
1786

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in March

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 2°C in the first days to 4°C by the end.

A typical March day in Reykjavik reaches about 3°C in the afternoon and slips back to -2°C overnight — a 5°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between -2°C and 7°C. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 1°C warmer than February and about 3°C cooler than April.

-15°-10°-5°10°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12-3
22-3
32-3
42-3
52-3
62-3
72-3
82-3
92-3
102-2
113-2
123-2
133-2
143-2
153-2
163-2
173-2
183-2
193-2
203-2
213-1
223-1
234-1
244-1
254-1
264-1
274-1
284-1
294-1
304-1
314-1

How March really feels in Reykjavik

Once humidity and wind are folded in, March averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 31 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
31
wind chill below the day's low

The story in March is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

Reykjavik weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 9th-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / -3°12417.912.14.90.0
Feb / -3°12216.612.17.90.0
Mar / -2°11416.911.711.20.0
Apr / 9015.35.314.60.4
May / 8314.80.517.91.7
Jun12° / 6912.80.120.22.9
Jul14° / 7613.3019.23.6
Aug13° / 9314.9016.13.2
Sep11° / 12616.80.312.72.0
Oct / 11114.82.59.30.6
Nov / -0°11315.56.760.0
Dec / -2°12416.611.23.80.0

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 12% of the time in March.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% of March, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 76%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12971
22971
32773
42773
52773
62773
72674
82674
92575
102575
112377
122377
132278
142278
152179
162179
172179
182179
192179
202278
212278
222278
232278
242476
252476
262575
272575
282575
292575
302575
312575

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitationSnow

Reykjavik gets around 114 mm of rain and snow over 16.9 wet days in March. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 55% and peaks near 58% on the wettest days, and about 12 days bring snow.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
15238
25238
35238
45239
55239
65339
75340
85440
95440
105540
115541
125641
135741
145741
155841
165840
175840
185840
195839
205839
215738
225737
235636
245535
255534
265434
275433
285432
295331
305329
315328

Humidity in March

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of March feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, March lands in the dry band about 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)
1100
2100
3100
4100
5100
6100
7100
8100
9100
10100
11100
12100
13100
14100
15100
16100
17100
18100
19100
20100
21100
22100
23100
24100
25100
26100
27100
28100
29100
30100
31100

Wind in March

Winds average 16 km/h in March.

Across March, daily wind ranges from about 15 km/h on the calmest days to 16 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
116light breeze
216light breeze
316light breeze
416light breeze
516light breeze
616light breeze
716light breeze
816light breeze
916light breeze
1016light breeze
1116light breeze
1216light breeze
1316light breeze
1416light breeze
1516light breeze
1616light breeze
1716light breeze
1816light breeze
1916light breeze
2016light breeze
2116light breeze
2216light breeze
2316light breeze
2416light breeze
2516light breeze
2616light breeze
2716light breeze
2816light breeze
2916light breeze
3016light breeze
3115light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in March

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 30 min at the start of March to 12 h 54 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 204 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 8:55 AM to 7:07 AM, and sunset from 6:27 PM to 7:58 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.58:556:27
29.68:516:30
39.88:486:33
49.98:446:36
510.08:416:39
610.18:376:42
710.28:346:45
810.38:306:49
910.48:276:52
1010.58:236:55
1110.68:196:58
1210.88:167:01
1310.98:127:04
1411.08:097:07
1511.18:057:10
1611.28:017:13
1711.37:587:16
1811.47:547:19
1911.57:507:22
2011.67:477:25
2111.87:437:28
2211.97:407:31
2312.07:367:34
2412.17:327:37
2512.27:297:40
2612.37:257:43
2712.47:217:46
2812.57:187:49
2912.67:147:52
3012.77:107:55
3112.97:077:58

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 1.9 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 0.05 kWh/m² to a high of 5.05 kWh/m² in June across the year — March's 1.9 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.2Dim
21.3Dim
31.3Dim
41.4Dim
51.4Dim
61.4Dim
71.5Dim
81.5Dim
91.6Dim
101.6Dim
111.6Dim
121.7Dim
131.7Dim
141.8Dim
151.8Dim
161.9Dim
171.9Dim
182.0Dim
192.0Moderate
202.1Moderate
212.1Moderate
222.2Moderate
232.2Moderate
242.3Moderate
252.3Moderate
262.4Moderate
272.4Moderate
282.5Moderate
292.5Moderate
302.6Moderate
312.6Moderate
Planning a trip in March

Is March a good time to visit Reykjavik?

Our two travel scores rate March for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

0.0
Sightseeing
8th-best month of the year
Beach & pool
never really warm enough

March is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Reykjavik.

What to pack for Reykjavik in March

From March's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In March, Reykjavik sees daytime highs around 3°C and nights near -2°C. Pack a warm layer, a heavy coat and rain gear. About 17 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

Sea temperature near Reykjavik in March

The nearest coast averages about 5°C in March — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea offshore is warmest in August at about 11°C and coldest in March near 5°C.

The water stays below 20°C all year — cool enough that most swimmers want a wetsuit.

4°6°8°10°12°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracing
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan5Bracing
Feb5Bracing
Mar5Bracing
Apr6Bracing
May7Bracing
Jun10Bracing
Jul11Bracing
Aug11Bracing
Sep10Bracing
Oct8Bracing
Nov7Bracing
Dec6Bracing

UV index in Reykjavik in March

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in March peaks around 1. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Reykjavik peaks around June 21 at about 4 (moderate) — a little sun protection helps at midday. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 0 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 3 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateLowJun 21UV 4Dec 19UV 0
UV index (midday)Level
Jan0Low
Feb0Low
Mar1Low
Apr2Moderate
May4Moderate
Jun5Moderate
Jul4Moderate
Aug3Moderate
Sep2Low
Oct1Low
Nov0Low
Dec0Low
Location & terrain

Where is Reykjavik?

Reykjavik sits at 64.1°N, 21.9°W, 37 m above sea level, in Iceland. The nearest listed city is Kópavogur, 3.0 km away.

KeflavikReykjanesbærVikAkureyri

Topography around Reykjavik

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Reykjavik.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Reykjavik has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 77 m around an average of 17 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 867 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,335 m.

The land around Reykjavik is covered by artificial surfaces (37%) and water (25%) within 3 km, water (45%) and grassland (43%) within 16 km, and water (48%) and grassland (37%) within 80 km.

3 km
77 m
16 km
867 m
80 km
1,335 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmoss and lichen
March weather nearby: Kópavogur 3.0 km · Hafnarfjörður 8.0 km · Keflavik 36 km · Reykjanesbær 36 km · Vik 163 km · Akureyri 249 km · Tórshavn 795 km · Isle of Lewis 1,055 km

Iceland travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type C / F
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 118% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$98,323
2025
Happiness
7.5 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
100%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
1.3
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
2
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland 59%other or unspecified 19%none 8%Independent Congregation of Reykjavik 3%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Reykjavik (64.1355°, -21.8954°, elevation 37 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).