The summer has ended, and autumn has arrived. This raises the important question: How´s the weather in Iceland during autumn?

Nothing affects your trip in Iceland as much as the weather. Therefore, it is very to prepare accordingly.

The fall weather in Iceland is rather unpredictable and can change quickly. Therefore, you need to prepare for anything when traveling in autumn.

As this is the time where summer and winter meet you can experience all kinds of weather. Meaning it can be windy or calm, sunny or even snowy and the changes can happen almost instantly. You might even get all types of weather in one day.

Luckily the Icelandic Met office has a reliable weather forecast which you can follow. As mentioned, it is known for being unpredictable, so we recommend preparing for the worse. It´s better to have a raincoat and not needing it rather than the other way around.

How´s driving in autumn?

Traveling by car is the far best option when visiting Iceland in autumn. The rental car will give you the freedom to go at your own time and easily alter plans, if needed.

Driving conditions are usually good. There is little chance of snow and ice on the roads. Therefore, you do not need studded winter tires for driving in Iceland in autumn, but we do recommend being careful as it can get windy. Pay special attention when opening doors, as gust can happen suddenly.

SEE ALSO: DRIVING IN ICELAND – ALL OUT SELF-DRIVE GUIDANCE

Where should I go?

You should be able to travel almost anywhere in Iceland in autumn. If you intend to stay on the main roads, such as the Ring Road you should have little issues. For that kind of a trip there is no need for a 4x4 as most areas such as the Ring Road, the Golden Circle, Snæfellsnes peninsula and other popular places are all easily accessible on a 2WD.

So, if you are looking for a trip to the south coast to see the black sand beach or waterfalls like Seljalandsfoss, that should be fine as long as the wind stays calm.    

The F-roads in the Highland of Iceland are still open in September but as winter is not far away. For those interesting in traveling there, to places such as Landmannalaugar, pay special attention to road and weather conditions. Just of the record we do not recommend traveling in the highland at this time. It is simply to risky.

What should I wear?

When traveling in Iceland it is very important to stay warm and dry. In autumn the weather can change quickly so it is better to dress accordingly. Good shoes are at the most importance as well as having clothes for change.

Autumn can be wet and windy and in Iceland it is usually both at the same time. Do not bring an umbrella as you will have no use for it here. The wind is so strong it will only be damaged and offer you no shelter form the rain.

In Iceland it is extremely rare to see rain falling straight down. Usually, it comes from the side. We call that a side rain, so a good raincoat is much more efficient.

SEE ALSO: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES IN ICELAND

To sum up. The autumn in Iceland is short and interesting in many ways. The weather is unpredictable but if it turns bad it is usually for a short time.

So, plan ahead but keep your options open if you do not intend to fight a storm. If that´s what you are looking for just remember to stay safe at all times.

For more travel tips and useful information see Our Stories.

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