Icelands Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's break down what's on the table for the next couple of weeks. We've got a solid run of swell on the cards, but it's a bit of a mixed bag with the wind.

First up, we're looking at Icelands (reef). This is an advanced spot, and it's fairly consistent, so it's not a gamble that disappears. The water temp is sitting at 85°, which is about what you'd expect for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The forecast kicks off on Wednesday, 12 August, but it's a bit of a slow start. The swell is solid at 6 ft from the S, with a very long 16 second period – that's proper groundswell energy (1802). But the wind is a cross-off from the SSE at 12 mph, which keeps it clean but not perfect. The call is "marginal," so don't get too excited yet. Thursday 13th is more of the same, with the swell dropping slightly and the wind still messy.

The first real standout window opens up Friday, 14 August. The morning shows a 6 ft S swell with a 16 second period, and the wind goes light cross-off from the SE. But the big news is Friday afternoon: the wind drops to glassy, a light 3 mph from the S, with a solid 7 ft S swell at 15 seconds. The energy is pumping (2010), and the conditions are described as "excellent for experienced surfers." That's the session to aim for if you can. The swell is over 5 ft, so it's a bit much for beginners, but for the rest of you, it's on.

Saturday morning, 15 August, keeps the glassy theme with a 5 ft SE swell at 14 seconds – clean and smooth. The afternoon stays clean with a light cross-off breeze. The energy is still strong (1461 and 1291). This is another great window.

We have a bit of a lull from Sunday, 16 August, through Monday, 17 August, as the swell drops and the energy fades into the 600-900 range. Still rideable, but not the highlight.

Then, things get heavy again. Tuesday, 18 August, sees the swell jump back up to 7 ft from the SSW, with very long 16 second periods. The afternoon is the pick with lighter winds and clean conditions, and the energy is massive (2845). This is for the experienced crew.

Wednesday, 19 August, is the big one. We're looking at morning swell of 8 ft from the SSW, with an 18 second period – that's a very long period groundswell (3492). The wind is a light cross-off. The afternoon pushes it to 8 ft (3967), but the wind picks up to 12 mph, making it a bit more challenging. The morning is the standout for big-wave specialists. Anything over 8 ft is expert territory only.

The swell sticks around through the following week, but the wind gets a bit feistier. Thursday 20th and Friday 21st have solid 7-8 ft SSW swell, but the wind is up around 12-16 mph, making it "marginal." It's still surfable, but you'll be working for it.

The next proper standout within that window is Saturday, 22 August. The morning swell is 7 ft from the SSW with a 16 second period, and the wind is a light 9 mph cross-off from the SSE. The afternoon glass off with a 3 mph breeze is a beauty. The energy is still high (2289 and 1961). This is a solid day for experienced surfers.

Sunday, 23 August, cleans up again with a glassy afternoon and 5 ft swell from the SSW. The energy drops a bit but still good.

The last week of the outlook sees the swell settling into the 3-5 ft range, with periods around 14-16 seconds. The wind is generally light and cross-off, keeping things clean. The best of the late period is Thursday, 27 August, with a 5 ft SSW swell at 15 seconds and light clean winds. The energy is moderate (1064), but it's a solid, clean option for the dedicated crew.

Overall, the standout is undeniably Friday afternoon, 14 August, for the glassy conditions and solid 7 ft S swell. The second standout is Wednesday morning, 19 August, for the massive 8 ft SSW groundswell and clean winds. That's a big-wave day for sure.

For the rest of the run, crowds are a possibility at Icelands, as it's a known spot that can get busy. If you're a beginner, the first week is too punchy for you, but the second week has some smaller days in the 3-5 ft range that are more manageable.

Keep an eye on the wind, and you'll find some good ones.

Rusty.

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