Ixtapa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, and I’ve got the goods for Ixtapa. The setup is looking pretty solid overall, with a nice run of clean, rideable waves stretching through most of the forecast period. We’ll start off with a few smaller days, but there’s a real pulse of energy building that’s worth keeping an eye on.

The water’s sitting at a warm 88°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so you can leave the thick wetsuit at home. It’s comfortable out there.

Tuesday afternoon (25th August) gets things going with a light north breeze, cross-off, keeping the 2ft SW swell (16 sec period) tidy. The combined energy is moderate (386), so it’s a gentle intro. Wednesday morning (26th August) is the real standout to start – glassy conditions, a 2ft SW groundswell, and that clean, smooth surface. For a beginner-friendly break, that’s a perfect window to get out there.

We’ve got a bit of a lull Wednesday afternoon with onshore winds, but Thursday morning (27th August) fires back up nicely. A 2ft SW swell with an 18-second period brings a very long-period groundswell – combined energy jumps to 593 (moderate) – and light cross-off wind. The sets will be spaced out, but the shape and push will be there, especially for a point or reef setup.

Friday (28th August) sees the swell building to 4ft SSW (17 sec) in the morning, but there’s a risk of thunderstorms and a cross-shore wind. The combined energy is strong at 1214, so the ocean has some power, but conditions are a bit mixed. Friday afternoon cleans up with a cross-off NW breeze at 12 mph, and the 5ft SW swell (18 sec) has strong energy (1760). That’s a bigger, more powerful wave.

Now, the best of the best is looking like Saturday morning (29th August). Glassy conditions, an ENE breeze at 3 mph, and a 5ft SSW swell (16 sec) with very strong energy (1570). This is for experienced surfers only – it’s a solid wave. Keep that one circled on the calendar.

Sunday morning (30th August) is still very good, with a 5ft SW swell (14 sec) and clean cross-off wind, combined energy at 869 (moderate). Then we have a string of excellent mornings starting from Wednesday 2nd September through to the end of the outlook. The standout there is Thursday 3rd September: glassy, no wind, a 5ft SSW swell (17 sec) – very strong energy (1483). Again, that’s for the experienced crew.

The later mornings of 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th September all offer glassy or near-glassy conditions with 5ft to 7ft SW/SSW swells. The 7ft on Monday 7th September is a big, powerful wave (1517 combined energy), definitely experts only. Crowds are possible at Ixtapa, but with these consistent windows, you’ll find your share.

For the long-range, keep an eye on Wednesday 9th September morning – glassy, 5ft SW swell (17 sec), and a huge combined energy of 2382. That’s a lot of water moving, promising but less certain this far out.

So, the pick of the period: Saturday 29th August morning and Thursday 3rd September morning. Both are glassy, with solid SW groundswell and strong energy – true standouts for those who know what they’re doing.

Rusty.

Read more