Iceland Weather Forecasts in March

Spring is upon us and the weather in Iceland is fascinating. As the snow slowly begins to stop pouring down, the beautiful green landscapes unwillingly reveal their hidden beauty. Outside of natural, uninterrupted beauty, also take out some time to enjoy the events taking place in Reykjavik like the chess open and the theater workshop in the women's story circle that takes place on three separate days. You can view all of the events in March here.

You might be wondering if it will it be day or night when your flight lands?

The daylight hours in Iceland can be confusing due to the dramatic swings of sunlight. The first day of march is the shortest day of the month with only 10:13 hours of daylight. The last day in march is the longest day with 13:28 hours of daylight. The length of day increases at a rapid rate of 6.3 minutes per day, gaining a total 3:15 hours in the month of March. On the very first day of March, sunrise starts at 8.33 am, and sets at 6:46 pm. On March 31st, sunrise is at 6:48 am and sets at 8:16 pm. Awesome for travelers looking to get more out of their days, and the early rises will finally have some sunshine when they awaken from their slumber.

The temperature

Now you’re likely wondering what temperatures you should expect while you begin to bring in spring. The average low temperature in January will be approximately -1.7 degrees Celsius (29 F), and the average high being 3.3 degrees Celsius (38 F). Despite the name Iceland, it is home to one of the more stable climates in the arctic circle. So you can expect a very consistent temperature, hopefully no surprises, other than the trip of your life! In fact many people who visit Iceland experience colder temperatures when they travel back home.

In terms of rainfall, you can actually expect the around 10 days of rain in the month of march, and 32.4 mm (1.28 inches) of rain. Moderate snow is also the most common type of precipitation making up of 49% (out of 100%) of historical precipitation. Rainfall makes up 24% of the March historical precipitation. The probability of precipitation decreases from 55% on March 1st, to 44% on March 31st. That said, you can probably expect moderate rain and a gorgeous moderate snowfall during half of your duration in Iceland.

Activities & Tours

March is a great month for travelling to Iceland. The longer days give you a greater opportunity to enjoy tours and activities out in Icelandic nature. For all sorts of glacier related action March is ideal as well as for Northern Lights viewing. It is also a good period to hit the slopes with some off piste ski touring or for travelling on cross country skis in the interior highlands.

See some of our favourite tours below!

When you’re ready to play, hike, feast, and celebrate while bringing in one of the years most gorgeous seasons, we humbly suggest you choose Icelandic Mountain Guides to show you some of the best things this beautiful country has to offer.