Icelands Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up.

We’ve got a proper run of southerly groundswell lining up for Icelands, a reef break that’s exposed to the swell and handles a SSW direction beautifully. The water is sitting at 84.9°F with a slight positive anomaly of 0.9°F, so nothing unusual, just your typical warm summer bath. The first few days are a bit of a mixed bag – we’ve got some solid swell rolling in, but the wind and tide conditions are keeping things from really firing. Friday afternoon the 21st sees a 5.6ft SSW swell with a 15-second period, but that S wind at 12 mph is blowing cross-shore and putting a bit of a chop on it. The combined energy is strong (2252), but it’s not clean enough to get excited about.

Saturday morning the 22nd is a step up. The swell pushes to 7.2ft from the SSW with a 16-second period, and the wind swings SE at 9 mph, giving us a clean cross-off breeze. The wave energy is huge (2261), and the conditions are clean. That’s a solid window for more experienced surfers – 7.2ft is getting into the big stuff for most. That afternoon the wind shifts back to cross-shore, so the morning is the pick.

Sunday the 23rd holds onto solid 4.9ft to 5.6ft SSW/S swell with 14-second periods, and the wind stays cross-off both morning and afternoon. Clean conditions, moderate energy (1271 to 1942). It’s good, but not the standout.

Monday the 24th is more of the same – 4.9ft to 6.2ft, clean cross-off winds, but the quality is still just “marginal” on the reports. The energy is there (1508 to 1859), but it’s not quite clicking.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Tuesday morning the 25th is the first real standout. The swell drops slightly to 5.9ft from the SSW, 15-second period, but the wind is a light SSE at 6 mph, cross-off, and the conditions are clean. The combined energy is still solid at 1369, and the report calls it excellent for experienced surfers. This is the one to circle. The reef will handle that long period beautifully, and the light wind will keep it glassy.

The mid-week drops off a bit. Wednesday the 26th and Thursday the 27th see smaller swell (4.3ft to 3.9ft), but Thursday morning the 27th has a sneaky 3.0ft SSW swell with a *19-second* period. That’s a very long period groundswell – it’ll wrap in with real power for its size, and the energy reading is still a respectable 1222. The wind is light and cross-off, so it’ll be clean. That’s a gem for the reef.

Friday morning the 28th is another standout. 6.2ft from the SSW, 16-second period, clean cross-off wind, and the energy is pumping at 1853. Excellent conditions for experienced surfers. This is the second big call – get in the water.

The weekend of the 29th and 30th sees the swell backing off to 4.9ft and then 3.0ft, with lighter winds. It’s still surfable, but nothing special.

Monday the 31st is a beauty. The swell picks up again to 5.6ft from the SSW, 18-second period, and the wind goes glassy in the afternoon. The energy jumps to 2283. That afternoon session is going to be smooth, clean, and powerful. Mark it.

Tuesday the 1st of September is the best of the whole run. 7.2ft from the SW and SSW, 18-second period, and the wind is glassy calm all afternoon. The energy is massive – 3144 in the morning, 3032 in the afternoon. This is a serious, powerful groundswell. The reef will be firing, but at 7.2ft, this is expert territory only. If you’re a strong paddler, you’ll be smiling.

The first week of September sees the swell slowly drop off, but conditions remain mostly clean with light winds. Wednesday the 2nd holds 5.9ft, and by Friday the 4th we’re down to 3.9ft with glassy conditions. It’s a nice fade-out.

One thing to note: Icelands is a reef break, and with these long-period swells (15 to 19 seconds), the sets will be well-spaced and powerful. It’s not a beginner’s wave when it’s over 4.9ft, and from the 25th to the 1st, it’s consistently in the 5.9ft to 7.2ft range. This is a run for the crew who know what they’re doing.

Overall, the best of the best is Tuesday the 1st of September, with that glassy 7.2ft SW groundswell. The second pick is Friday morning the 28th of August, with 6.2ft and clean cross-off wind. The smaller, glassy days on the 31st

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