Icelands Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Icelands over the next couple of weeks.

First up, the water temp is sitting at a balmy 85°F – that’s pretty much spot on for this time of year, so no wetsuit worries, just grab the boardies.

The run starts with a bit of a slow burn on Monday 27 July. There’s some swell, but it’s a messy cross-shore and the conditions are just marginal. Not worth paddling out for. Through Tuesday and Wednesday, we start to see some cleaner windows in the mornings, with cross-offshore winds and a long-period swell (14 to 16 seconds) from the SSW. The waves are small though, around 2ft to 3ft, so it’s more of a longboard or funboard session. The combined energy is moderate (around 400 to 585), but the shape should be decent.

Then, from Thursday 30 July through to the start of August, the consistency really picks up. The swell holds steady around 3ft to 4ft, but the period is fantastic – 17 to 19 seconds, proper groundswell. The wind is often glassy or cross-off, meaning clean, groomed faces. The combined energy climbs into the strong range (925 to 1256), and the early mornings look particularly good. Thursday 30 July morning and Saturday 1 August morning are standouts for the first week. Saturday 1 August morning has glassy conditions and a 5ft swell from the SSW with a 17-second period – that’s your pick for the week. The waves will be punchy, but that long period means it’ll be a bit more lined up at this reef break, and the paddling out will be easier between sets. Crowds are likely at Icelands, so get there early.

Now, if you’re a beginner, note that the swell starts to push over 5ft from Tuesday 4 August, so that’s where it gets a bit more serious. The standout window for experienced surfers, and honestly the best of the whole forecast, comes on Saturday 8 August. We’re looking at a 8ft SSW swell with a 19-second period, combined with glassy, clean conditions in the morning. The combined energy is a massive 5652 – that’s very strong, powerful stuff. This is one for expert surfers only. The wave direction is straight out of the SSW, which is exactly what this reef loves. This is a true standout, but it’s over a week away, so keep an eye on it – it’s promising but not locked in. Sunday 9 August still holds good size at 8ft, but the wind is a bit more cross, so the morning of Saturday 8 is the moment.

The second week sees a slow decline in size, with the swell dropping from 8ft back down to 6ft by Tuesday 11 August. The winds stay mostly cross-off or glassy, so it’ll still be surfable, but the energy drops and the magic is gone. By Monday 10 August, the wind picks up to 12 mph, making it a bit lumpier.

So, overall, there’s a solid run of surf here. The first few days are small but clean, the middle of the first week is consistent and fun, and the absolute highlight is that big, glassy swell on Saturday 8 August for the experts. Don’t sleep on the Saturday 1 August morning either – that’s your best bet for the early part.

Rusty.

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