
Surf Forecasts:
Ixtapa Island surf forecast from 11 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 10 Sep, 9PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 16s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 15 Sep, 12AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 18s period, SSW swell with 1,129 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 10 Sep, 9PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 16s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Ixtapa Island this week:
The surf forecast for Ixtapa Island over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 10) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 7s. Another secondary swell of 0.3m and 7s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Ixtapa Island in the next 16 days are 1.3m 18s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 15) at 12AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 9s period and expected on Friday (Sep 11) at 9AM.
| Wave Type | Time (CST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9PM (Thu 10th Sep) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 9PM (Thu 10th Sep) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 12AM (Tue 15th Sep) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 18s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Ixtapa Island over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on the horizon.
We’ve got a run of surf lining up for the Ixtapa Island area that’s got some real potential, even if we have to be patient with the afternoons. The mornings are where it's at.
We kick things off on Thursday, the 10th. The water’s sitting at 89°F, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year. The waves are a clean 4ft on a solid 16-second SW groundswell. The energy is moderate, coming in at 910, and with a light north breeze it’s looking crisp. This is a good start, a proper warm-up.
The mornings are going to be your friend for this whole stretch. Friday the 11th is glassy, not a breath of wind, with the swell holding at 4ft from the SSW. The energy is moderate at 816. This is the kind of clean, lined-up surf that makes you want to stay out till your arms fall off. Saturday and Sunday mornings stay clean with cross-off winds, but the swell eases back a bit. We’re looking at 3ft on Saturday and 2ft on Sunday, with the period dropping to 13-14 seconds. Still fun, but you’ll be working for it.
Then we get a bit of a pulse again. Monday the 14th brings back a glassy 3ft, but the period jumps to 18 seconds. That’s a long-period groundswell, which can make the wave a bit too straight at a beach break, but at a spot like Ixtapa Island, it should reel off nicely. The energy is moderate at 593.
Now, here’s where I get a little excited. Tuesday the 15th through Thursday the 17th, the swell builds again, holding around 4-4ft from the SSW. The winds are glassy or slight offshore each morning. Tuesday’s energy is strong at 1023, which is a solid bump of power. These will be the best days of this first week, no doubt. The consistency is a bit unreliable at this spot, so you have to pick your moments, but when those sets roll through on these mornings, it’s going to be well worth it.
The afternoons are, for the most part, a write-off. The wind swings onshore and chops things up. Keep your sessions to the dawn patrol.
Looking further out, into the second week, the pattern holds. We've got a similar rhythm of clean mornings and choppy afternoons. Friday the 18th sees the period stretch out to 20 seconds, and the swell is a clean 3ft. This is prime stuff for a reef setup; the long period will really put some push behind it. The energy is a solid 904.
Sunday the 20th and Monday the 21st are looking like the real standouts of the entire window. The swell is 4ft to 4ft, still from the SW, but the energy jumps up to 1071 and 1069 respectively, which is strong. And the mornings are glassy with light airs. These are the sessions for the experienced surfers, the ones looking for a bit more grunt. This is the pick of the bunch right here.
The swell fades a bit mid-week, dropping to 4ft by the 24th, but Thursday the 25th has one last trick. The swell drops to 2ft, but the period is a massive 21 seconds. That’s some deep ocean energy, so even though it’s smaller, the quality will be there on the right tide. The energy is still 910, so there’s push in the water.
So, to wrap it up: Saturday and Sunday the 20th and 21st are your bang-for-your-buck mornings and look to be the best on offer. Just get out there early, before the seabreeze kicks up. The afternoons are for the beach, not the lineup.
Rusty, signing off.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Warm (max 31°C on Thu morning, min 27°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Mon afternoon. Warm (max 31°C on Sun afternoon, min 27°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
813 | 803 | 883 | 720 | 536 | 407 | 401 | 268 | 212 | 175 | 251 | 290 | 444 | 316 | 1129 | 780 | 771 | 853 | 768 | 584 | 561 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | on | glassy | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | on | glassy | glassy | on | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 10:28AM0.61m | 9:52PM0.59m | 10:23AM0.55m | 10:24PM0.53m | 9:31AM0.52m | 10:56PM0.45m | 7:42AM0.56m | 8:08PM0.39m | 7:09AM0.64m | 7:04PM0.40m | 7:19AM0.71m | 7:05PM0.42m | 7:39AM0.76m | 7:17PM0.44m | |||||||
Low Tide | 4:07PM0.34m | 4:12AM0.28m | 4:21PM0.34m | 4:05AM0.40m | 4:18PM0.34m | 00:55AM0.45m | 3:24PM0.34m | 11:29PM0.37m | 2:35PM0.32m | 11:58PM0.29m | 2:26PM0.29m | 00:25AM0.22m | 2:31PM0.28m | 00:50AM0.16m | |||||||
6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | |
— | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:51 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:49 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | 6:47 | — | |
mm | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | 2 | 3 | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 31 | 31 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 28 |
Feels °C | 34 | 33 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 33 | 34 | 34 | 35 | 34 | 35 | 34 | 34 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 32 | 32 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 |
813 | 803 | 883 | 720 | 536 | 407 | 401 | 268 | 212 | 175 | 172 | 124 | 444 | 316 | 1129 | 780 | 771 | 853 | 768 | 584 | 561 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 11 | SSE 7 | S 7 | WNW 9 | S 7 | S 8 | W 5 | W 5 | W 6 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SW 19 | S 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SW 13 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | SSE 9 | S 8 |
79 | 27 | 32 | 25 | 36 | 30 | 34 | 28 | 22 | 59 | 62 | 290 | 78 | 82 | 80 | 80 | 172 | 77 | 82 | 108 | 116 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 7 | SSW 11 | WNW 9 | SW 19 | WNW 8 | W 12 | S 8 | S 8 | S 9 | W 6 | SSW 19 | S 8 | SW 12 | SSW 15 | W 12 | SSW 13 | SSE 9 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SW 22 |
18 | 78 | 16 | 96 | 14 | 11 | 33 | 34 | 54 | 22 | 251 | 35 | 71 | 146 | 25 | 114 | 80 | 96 | 87 | 47 | 231 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | W 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WSW 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 528 | 0 | 0 | 529 | 0 | 0 | 698 | 0 | 0 | 501 | 0 | 0 | 533 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 0 | 0 | 832 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Guerrero | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Mexico | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
Information about the Ixtapa Island Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Ixtapa Island provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Ixtapa Island can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Ixtapa Island surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Ixtapa Island) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Ixtapa Island may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Ixtapa Island is 9 km (6 miles) from Zihuatanejo. If you plan a holiday in Guerrero, look for hotels and other accommodation in Zihuatanejo. Zihuatanejo has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










