Best time to visit Akureyri
Re-score for me — drag the dial — every chart on the page recolours live for your heat limit 27°C
Default 27 °C is the upper edge of the Holiday Climate Index "ideal comfort" band (Scott, Rutty, Amelung & Tang, 2016). Above this, most warm-tourism travellers report measurable discomfort.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
How is this scored? HCI / Steadman / CCI gate — full methodology and citations below.
Compare with another destination
Add as many as you like — stacked below the main strips above. Each row is just the recent-window score strip and (for beach destinations) sea-temperature strip.
Tours in Akureyri
6 top-rated tours via Viator. Booking links earn this site a commission at no cost to you. Map locations are approximate (centred on Akureyri).
- 1
Northern Lights 4x4 Photography Tour from Akureyri - 2
Big Whales & Puffins RIB boat tour from Húsavík - 3
Akureyri Lake Myvatn Godafoss and Lava Fields Tour - 4
Goðafoss Waterfall from Akureyri Port - 5
Akureyri Port: Small Group Diamond Circle Express Shore Excursion - 6
Forest Lagoon, Goðafoss Waterfall & Fjord view Tour from Akureyri
Last refreshed 2026-05-30.
Similar climatesTromso82% · Gstaad58% · Zermatt56%
Other destinations with the most-alike year-round climate to Akureyri (apparent temperature, rain hours, sunshine — matched within the same trip-profile). The ±N chip compares each match's typical score for the current month against Akureyri's. Based on the 2020-2024 climatology, not this year's actual weather.
Month-by-month
| Month | Temp °C | Feels °C | Rain days | Rain h | Rain h/day | Humidity | Wind km/h | Sun h | UV | Interest | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -5–1 | -3 | 20 | 339 | 16.9 | 78% | 14 | 13 | — | Quiet | 4 |
| Feb | -5–0 | -3 | 17 | 244 | 14.4 | 79% | 13 | 49 | — | Quiet | 5 |
| Mar | -5–1 | -3 | 19 | 305 | 16.1 | 78% | 12 | 105 | 1 | Quiet | 5 |
| Apr | -2–3 | 0 | 11 | 193 | 17.5 | 77% | 10 | 172 | 2 | Quiet | 7 |
| May | 2–7 | 5 | 12 | 160 | 13.3 | 73% | 11 | 226 | 3 | Quiet | 8 |
| Jun | 7–13 | 11 | 15 | 206 | 13.7 | 68% | 13 | 219 | 3 | Quiet | 4 |
| Jul | 9–15 | 13 | 14 | 207 | 14.8 | 71% | 13 | 210 | 2 | Quiet | 3 |
| Aug | 9–15 | 13 | 13 | 187 | 14.4 | 71% | 11 | 191 | 2 | Peak | 3 |
| Sep | 5–10 | 8 | 18 | 261 | 14.5 | 77% | 12 | 123 | 1 | Quiet | 4 |
| Oct | 0–4 | 1 | 18 | 288 | 16.0 | 85% | 11 | 60 | 1 | Quiet | 5 |
| Nov | -3–3 | -1 | 18 | 271 | 15.1 | 82% | 12 | 22 | — | Busy | 5 |
| Dec | -7–-1 | -5 | 17 | 289 | 17.0 | 79% | 11 | 3 | — | Quiet | 4 |
UV Index in Akureyri by Month
UV index in Akureyri peaks at 3 (moderate) in May, dropping to 0 (low) in January.
Best months in detail
May
8/102–7°C (feels 5°C) · 12 rain days (160h) · 226 sun hours · 73% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 3 (moderate)
April
7/10-2–3°C (feels 0°C) · 11 rain days (193h) · 172 sun hours · 77% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 2 (low) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 3 (moderate)
February
5/10-5–0°C (feels -3°C) · 17 rain days (244h) · 49 sun hours · 79% humidity · Quiet crowd
Every month
Show the other 9 months in detail
January
4/10-5–1°C (feels -3°C) · 20 rain days (339h) · 13 sun hours · 78% humidity · Quiet crowd
March
5/10-5–1°C (feels -3°C) · 19 rain days (305h) · 105 sun hours · 78% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 1 (low)
June
4/107–13°C (feels 11°C) · 15 rain days (206h) · 219 sun hours · 68% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 3 (low) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 4 (moderate)
July
3/109–15°C (feels 13°C) · 14 rain days (207h) · 210 sun hours · 71% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 2 (low) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 4 (moderate)
August
3/109–15°C (feels 13°C) · 13 rain days (187h) · 191 sun hours · 71% humidity · Peak crowd · UV 2 (low) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 3 (moderate)
September
4/105–10°C (feels 8°C) · 18 rain days (261h) · 123 sun hours · 77% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 1 (low)
October
5/100–4°C (feels 1°C) · 18 rain days (288h) · 60 sun hours · 85% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 1 (low)
November
5/10-3–3°C (feels -1°C) · 18 rain days (271h) · 22 sun hours · 82% humidity · Busy crowd
December
4/10-7–-1°C (feels -5°C) · 17 rain days (289h) · 3 sun hours · 79% humidity · Quiet crowd
Frequently asked questions about visiting Akureyri
When is the best time to visit Akureyri?
May is the highest-scoring month (8/10 on the Holiday Climate Index). Typical conditions: 2–7°C (12 rainy days). The top three months by score are May, April, February.
What is the worst time to visit Akureyri?
July is the lowest-scoring month (3/10, capped by extreme heat). Typical conditions: 9–15°C (14 rainy days).
Is Akureyri too hot in summer?
2 months (July, August) trip the heat deal-breaker in our scoring: apparent temperature crosses the comfort cap, so even with clear skies and low rain the score is held down. Plan around it if heat tolerance is low.
When are crowds lowest in Akureyri?
Search-interest seasonality (Google Trends 2021-2025) is lowest in February and peaks in August. Interest tracks both in-trip visitors and lead-time planners, so treat it as a "destination is on people's minds" signal rather than literal arrivals.
Which months in Akureyri have good weather but fewer tourists?
May (climate 8/10, crowd index 0) and April (climate 7/10, crowd index 0) — shoulder months with above-average climate and below-median search-interest. Often the best value-for-weather trade.
What is the UV index in Akureyri by month?
UV peaks at 3 (moderate) in May and is lowest in January at 0 (low). Monthly peak values: Jan —, Feb —, Mar 1, Apr 2, May 3, Jun 3, Jul 2, Aug 2, Sep 1, Oct 1, Nov —, Dec —.
What is the UV index in Akureyri in May?
May is the peak UV month in Akureyri, with a daily-peak UV index of 3 (moderate). Standard sun protection — sunglasses and light SPF — is recommended.
How high can UV get in Akureyri on the sunniest days?
Most days look like the monthly average, but on the sunniest ~1 in 10 days UV climbs higher than the mean suggests. June is the worst case: typical days average UV 3 (low), but the top 10% of days reach UV 4 (moderate) — and even higher. Months where the sunniest days routinely exceed the typical reading: April, June, July, August. Plan sun protection for the worst case, not the average.