Sun the source of life and for many, the source of happiness and well-being. In our case, as we are a travel blog, we are not focusing on the effects of the sun in our health but in our trip. Light is pretty much necessary for sightseeing and touring around the island. So here you have a complete review for sunshine and daylight hours in Iceland per month.

Iceland daylight hours by month

In Iceland, there are some tours that can be done in the night time, such as watching the Northern lights. But most activities, places to visit and tours do need daylight. Why is so important to mention this? Well, in our case, sunshine and daylight hours in Iceland cannot be taken for granted.

Due to our location, in the North Atlantic Ocean and close to North Pole, we really do not have the same light patterns as most countries do anywhere else. So it is important for you to keep this in mind as daylight hours will for sure affect your schedule. In the winter time, daylight is scarce while the closer in gets to the summer time, more light is available. Even up to 20h of light per day! Here you have the daylight hours in Iceland by month:

MonthSunriseSunsetSunrise
January11:19 AM3:42 PM4 hours, 23 minutes
February10:09 AM5:13 PM7 hours, 4 minutes
March8:33 AM6:47 PM10 hours, 14 minutes
April6:44 AM8:20 PM13 hours, 36 minutes
May4:58 AM9:53 PM16 hours, 55 minutes
June2:55 AMJust after midnightApprox. 21 hours
July3:06 AM11:55 PM20 hours, 49 minutes
August4:35 AM10:29 PM17 hours, 54 minutes
September6:11 AM8:41 PM14 hours, 30 minutes
October7:37 AM6:55 PM11 hours, 18 minutes
November9:12 AM5:09 PM7 hours, 57 minutes
December10:47 AM3:46 PM4 hours, 59 minutes

Sunrise and sunset in Iceland

January: This month is actually the coldest one in Iceland, that means we are right in the winter time. This affects greatly the daylight hours in Iceland.

In this month, the average of daylight hours is about 5 hours in early and mid-January to about 6 by the end of the month. The sun rise time is about 11:00 am and it sets approximately at 16:11.

February: The sunshine hours start their increasing tendency. In February, the average of daylight hours is 9h per day.

Sun rises at 9:30 approximately and sets around 18:00.

Daylight Hours in Iceland

March: Daylight hour increases by two this month, with 11 hours per day.

The sun is up at 7:58 and dusk is at about 19:45 by the end of March.

April: by early April, we get about 14 hours of daylight, and by the end of this month, it increasing up to 15h and 40 minutes.

Sun usually rises at 6:00 and sets at 20:00. As you can see, now we have days that probably look a lot more to the ones you are used to back home.

May: We are getting close to a phenomenon that only happens in this latitude of the planet. Daylight hours’ average is around 18-20h per day.

June: The phenomenon I am referring to is the midnight sun. It basically means the sun never really sets. Therefore, daylight during June is about 20-22 hours, which is a lot! Although at the latest hours, the light is not bright. It sorts of looks like a never-ending dawn.

Sun rises at 3:00 and “sets “at 23:55 approximately.

July: in Iceland, the duration of daylight typically extends to approximately 20 hours, showcasing the sunrise and sunset times at 3:58 AM and 11:00 PM, respectively.

August: with the midnight sun phenomenon no longer observable, the amount of daylight in Iceland reduces to about 15-16 hours daily.

Sun rise time is 5:11 and sun set time is 21:40 approximately.

Daylight Hours in Iceland

Sunshine and Daylight Hours in Iceland Per Month

September: daylight is reduced to 12-13 hours per day.  The sun rises at 6:41 and sets at about 20:00.

October: and we keep going down…by the end of October, daylight hours in Iceland are about 9 per day.

Sun rise time is 8:00 and sun set time about 18:19.

November: Winter is around the corner, and with it the darker days. daylight hours are about 5-6.

The sun comes up at about 9:45 and sets approximately at 16:11.

December: Well, winter at its best. Just about 4 hours of daylight per day.

Sun rises at 11:22 approximately and sets at 15:29.

As you can see, the daylight hours in Iceland vary greatly from one season to another. It has both advantages and disadvantages, so I highly recommend you to consider what you are looking for and deepen on the possibilities of doing so in each season.

Frequently asked questions about daylight hours in Iceland

Does Iceland have 3 months of darkness?

No, Iceland does not experience three continuous months of darkness. However, during the winter solstice, particularly in December, the country faces very short days, with only about 4 to 5 hours of daylight in the northern parts.

What months does Iceland have daylight hours?

Iceland experiences daylight throughout the year, but the duration varies significantly. From late May to early August, the country enjoys the longest daylight hours, while November to January are characterized by the shortest days.

What is the shortest day in Iceland?

The shortest day in Iceland typically occurs on December 21st, the winter solstice, with around 4 hours and 7 minutes of daylight in Reykjavík.

How many hours of daylight does Iceland get in May?

In May, Iceland starts to experience significantly longer daylight hours, with about 17 hours of daylight by the end of the month. On May 1st, sunrise in Reykjavík is around 4:58 AM, with sunset at 9:53 PM.

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