Húsavík weather in January
January in Húsavík: freezing, rainy, with clean air — not the time — well below freezing.
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
#11 of 12 months in Húsavík · #1352 of 1413 destinations to visit in January · comfort 30/100 (tier F)
- Days
- -1°C
- Nights
- -6°C
- Wet days
- 17
- Sun
- 0.8 h
- Humidity
- 82%
- Daylight
- 5 h

Traveller notes on Húsavík in January
Notes from nearby Akureyri (54 km away)
Húsavík doesn't have its own notes for January yet — these are about Akureyri, close enough to share the season.
Forum posters describe January conditions as genuinely harsh at times - cold, windy, with snow and poor visibility a real possibility, and one visitor describing a whale-watching trip near the Arctic Circle as simply very cold and windy. Daylight is limited to only a handful of hours in the dead of winter (sunrise around 11:30am, sunset mid-afternoon early in the month), though posters note extended twilight adds a couple of usable hours beyond the strict daylight window on a clear day. Posters are consistent self-driving in Iceland this time of year demands real caution - checking road conditions and forecasts daily, keeping driving distances short, and building genuine flexibility into any itinerary since plans routinely need to shift around the weather. On the upside, posters name Akureyri's own ski area and nearby Lake Myvatn (about an hour away) as solid winter draws once conditions cooperate.
Other months in Húsavík
Iceland's forum describes December nationally as genuinely unpredictable year to year - rain, fog, sun, snow and storms can all show up within the same week, with roughly four hours of daylight to work with further south. Húsavík sits further north than Reykjavík, and the destination's own climate record shows noticeably less daylight and colder temperatures than that national average implies, consistent with its position. It's prime season for northern lights and geothermal pools rather than sightseeing-heavy days, so plan around the dark rather than fighting it.
Forum posters call June a strong month for whale watching in Skjalfandi Bay, with 'amazing tours' regularly reported through June and July. Conditions vary trip to trip - one visitor described a June day with barely a cloud, no wind and a completely calm sea, while others report rougher water and real seasickness on the same route depending on the day. Posters say weather plays a bigger role in whale-sighting odds than the specific time of day, and RIB/zodiac boats get recommended over larger vessels for maneuvering closer to the animals. Husavik itself is consistently rated as having more going on in town than the nearby alternative of Dalvik.
Add your own note from Húsavík's card on the map.
Húsavík climate normals — January
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Húsavík in January
How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.
BusyChristmas break in Iceland, school holidays in 7 of the markets that fill it(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Húsavík's weather
Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).
Toughest weatherHúsavík's weather peaks June–August, best around July.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Húsavík in January
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Nature
Aurora season
10 Sep – 5 Apr · usuallyDark enough from mid-September, and the harbour and the hot pools above the town both look north over the bay with no streetlight in the way. Cloud off the Greenland Sea is the limiting factor.
- Season
Winter shutdown
20 Oct – 25 Mar · usuallyOff-season shutdownClosuresMost of the boats stop, the whale museum drops to weekday afternoons and a good share of the guesthouses close. What is left is a working fishing town, the pools, and very short days.
- Nature
Polar night
About 4.7 hours of daylight a day in January; the light is the story, not the sights.
from the climate normals
- Season
Snow season
Ski seasonAbout 69 cm of snow falls in the month.
from the climate normals
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Húsavík — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Húsavík?
Húsavík in January — FAQ
- Is January a good time to visit Húsavík?
- January in Húsavík: freezing, rainy, with clean air — not the time — well below freezing. It ranks #11 of 12 months for Húsavík on SeasonMap's comfort score (30/100).
- What is the weather like in Húsavík in January?
- In January, Húsavík averages a daily high of -0.7°C and a low of -5.6°C, with about 92.3 mm of rain over roughly 16.5 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Húsavík in January?
- Húsavík has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 36 in January.
- Does it snow in Húsavík in January?
- Húsavík sees roughly 69.1 cm of snowfall in January.
Within 300 km: Akureyri's Aurora season around 1 Sep – 10 Apr.