It is a mild, mostly southerly week, with the wettest and windiest spell on Tuesday morning in the south and west, and more rain on Thursday and Saturday in the south. It turns colder on Sunday, with snow showers in the west, so expect the first slippery roads of November at the end of the week and check the road and weather sites every morning.
Weather warnings this week
Safetravel.is showed no alerts when we checked on 2 November, and we found no active weather warnings. The Met Office forecast still points to a windy Tuesday morning, 3 November, with southerly winds of 10–18 m/s and considerable rain in the south and west, and gusts in the north-west on Monday. Warnings can be issued at short notice, so check vedur.is before long drives.
Day by day for drivers
From the Met Office forecasts issued on 1 November at 20:55 and 2 November at 03:32:
- Monday 2: southerly winds of 8–15 m/s, gustier in the north-west, drizzle or rain at times in the south and west, dry elsewhere, 7–15°C and warmest in the east.
- Tuesday 3: southerly winds of 10–18 m/s in the morning with considerable rain in the south and west, dry in the north-east, 8–13°C. Easing south-west winds and showers later. Drive the South Coast in the afternoon if you can.
- Wednesday 4: south-west winds of 5–13 m/s, lighter in the south, scattered showers, clear in the north-east and east, 2–8°C. A good driving day; watch for frost on bridges in the evening.
- Thursday 5: southerly winds of 8–15 m/s with rain at times, little in the north-east, less wet in the afternoon, 4–10°C.
- Friday 6: south-west winds of 5–13 m/s, partly cloudy, rain from the afternoon, mostly bright in the east, turning colder.
- Saturday 7 and Sunday 8: rain on Saturday, mostly dry in the north-east and east and fairly mild. Colder on Sunday with snow showers in the west, so slippery roads are possible on mountain passes and in the west.
Main roads and the highlands
We found no road closures announced by the Road Administration on 2 November, and its latest news was about a research conference, the planned widening of the Ring Road on Kjalarnes and a new bridge over the Ölfusá river. Conditions change within hours in November, so check umferdin.is before every drive, as well as the weather on vedur.is and alerts on safetravel.is.
The highland F-roads are summer roads, and you should not plan on driving them in November. If you want to see the interior, wait for summer and join a guided highland tour.
Winter tyres and daylight
Studded tyres may be used in Iceland from 1 November to mid-April, and earlier when road conditions require them. Ask your rental company what is fitted to your car, especially if you plan to drive north or east, where the first snow usually comes. Read our full guide to driving in Iceland in winter before you go.
Prefer not to drive? Guided options
If the forecast puts you off, our guides drive the same routes every day of the winter. Our private tours and winter Ring Road tours let you see the country with someone else watching the road:
- Golden Circle Private Tour: your own guide from your Reykjavík accommodation for about eight to nine hours, from 120,000 ISK per vehicle, with the route planned around daylight and road conditions.
- Private Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon Tour: the waterfalls, Reynisfjara, the glacier lagoon and the Diamond Beach in one long day with your own guide, from 279,900 ISK per vehicle.
- 5 Day Iceland Itinerary: a winter package with transfers, the Golden Circle, an ice cave on a 2-day South Coast tour and a Northern Lights tour, with no driving at all. Our 5-day winter itinerary shows the route.
- 6 Day Ring Road Tour in winter: the whole country with a guide, including an ice cave and a glacier hike.
- South Coast and Glacier Lagoon self-drive: if you do want to drive, a 4×4 is included from October to April, with four hotel nights and breakfast on a short, planned route.
Questions people ask
Are the roads in Iceland open this week?
Yes, we found no closures on 2 November. Expect a wet, windy Tuesday morning in the south and west and colder weather with snow showers in the west on Sunday. Check umferdin.is every morning.
When are winter tyres required in Iceland?
Studded tyres may be used from 1 November to mid-April, and outside those dates when conditions require.
Can I drive the highland F-roads in November?
Plan not to. The F-roads are summer roads. Join a guided highland tour in summer instead.
