Vík (Vík) weather in December
December in Vík: freezing, soaked, with clean air — not the time — 20 rainy days.
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
#12 of 12 months in Vík · #1409 of 1413 destinations to visit in December · comfort 15/100 (tier F)
- Days
- 3°C
- Nights
- 0°C
- Wet days
- 20
- Sun
- 1.1 h
- Humidity
- 78%
- Daylight
- 5 h
Traveller notes on Vík in December
Other months in Vík
Regulars are specific this month still demands real preparation for high wind and rain even at the height of summer, campers describing having to pitch and strike a tent in the rain, one traveler reporting gusts near 110 kph passing through nearby in a recent June. Our row backs that cold, genuinely wet read, 8.7C reading as a chilly 7C, over 7.3C nights feeling 4C, with a substantial 118.2mm of rain across 15.5 days and a real 21.6 kph wind. Regulars are consistent nearly 20 hours of daylight is the real draw of this month regardless of the weather, campsites here running first-come without reservations except around the occasional local festival. The sea sits at a cold 9.5C. The record: 11.2 hours of sun, humidity 84.1 percent and AQI 33.
Forum posters describe January as genuinely extreme, with average temperatures around 0C but any given day capable of swinging anywhere from -10C to 10C, and snow, sleet, hail and rain all realistic - sometimes simultaneously - alongside frequently high wind. Posters note the south coast toward Vik rarely gets fully snowed in for long, though a mountain pass just before town and the Hellisheiði pass east of Reykjavik are named as the two spots most likely to see serious snow and ice. Posters are direct that driving conditions can swing from entirely possible to genuinely impossible within the same trip, with road closures a real risk during a storm. Posters consistently recommend wind- and waterproof outer layers plus warm insulation underneath, and flag extremely limited daylight (as little as 4.5 hours) as a real planning constraint for a January visit.
Vik's forum calls July Iceland's best weather month on average, but regulars are quick to add that "best" still means highly variable — sun and reasonable temperatures one day, wind and rain the next. Long bright evenings and good road conditions make it a solid month for a road trip regardless, as long as layers and rain gear come along.
Add your own note from Vík's card on the map.
Vík climate normals — December
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Vík in December
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.
Peak crowdsChristmas closures, Christmas break in Iceland, school holidays in 7 of the markets that fill it(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Vík'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 weatherVík's weather peaks June–August, best around July.
December coincides with Sneaker waves at Reynisfjara.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Vík in December
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Nature
Aurora season
1 Sep – 10 Apr · usuallyDark from September to April with sea and glacier on either side and almost no town light. What it does not have is reliable clear sky; the south coast catches the weather first.
- Hazard
Sneaker waves at Reynisfjara
15 Sep – 30 Apr · usuallyRip currents & big surfThe black beach kills people. Waves run far higher up the sand than the previous twenty did, and the biggest Atlantic swells arrive between autumn and spring. Watch the warning light and stay well back. Source ↗
- Season
Ice cave season
1 Nov – 31 Mar · usuallyIce seasonBook earlyMost of Iceland's natural ice caves are only safe in the cold half of the year; the one under Myrdalsjokull up the road runs longer but closes at short notice for weather and glacier movement. Source ↗
- Hazard
Wind and ice on Route 1
1 Nov – 31 Mar · usuallyWinter road closuresClosuresThe ring road over Myrdalssandur east of the village closes for wind and ice several times a winter, sometimes with no warning and no detour. Check the road authority before setting off, not after. Source ↗
- Holiday
Christmas closures
24–26 DecChristmas & New YearClosuresChristmas Eve is the main celebration: from mid-afternoon on the 24th until the 26th most shops, restaurants and tours stop, and buses run a reduced timetable or not at all. Book meals at your hotel and plan drives around it. Source ↗
- Nature
Polar night
About 4.8 hours of daylight a day in December; the light is the story, not the sights.
from the climate normals
- Season
Snow season
Ski seasonAbout 82 cm of snow falls in the month.
from the climate normals
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Vík — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Vík?
Vík in December — FAQ
- Is December a good time to visit Vík?
- December in Vík: freezing, soaked, with clean air — not the time — 20 rainy days. It ranks #12 of 12 months for Vík on SeasonMap's comfort score (15/100).
- What is the weather like in Vík in December?
- In December, Vík averages a daily high of 3.4°C and a low of 0.1°C, with about 278.8 mm of rain over roughly 19.8 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Vík in December?
- Vík has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 38 in December.
- Does it snow in Vík in December?
- Vík sees roughly 81.6 cm of snowfall in December.
Within 300 km: Reykjavík's Aurora season around 1 Sep – 31 Mar, and Akureyri's Aurora season around 1 Sep – 10 Apr.