Ixtapa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, it's Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's coming our way for Ixtapa. We've got a solid stretch of surf on the horizon, but it's a tale of two halves: plenty of clean, fun waves for the next week or so, followed by a bit of a stormy and messy period, before we finish up with some real quality.

The first real action kicks off this Thursday morning, the 20th of August. We're looking at a small but clean 3ft SSW swell. The wind is light and offshore from the north, so it'll be glassy and clean. The energy is pretty weak (313), but it's a start. The afternoons get chopped up by onshore wind, so morning sessions are the go.

Friday morning, the 21st, is a repeat of the clean conditions with that same 3ft SSW swell, and the offshore wind holds. Saturday morning, the 22nd, is where it starts to get interesting. The swell bumps up to 3ft from the SSW, but the real story is the glassy conditions with a light NNE breeze. The energy is building (551), and it's going to be a fun, clean paddle out. Saturday morning is a standout.

Sunday the 23rd through Tuesday the 25th keep the trend going with small, clean swells in the mornings. Sunday morning serves up a 2ft SW swell, but the period jumps to 18 seconds! That's a beautiful, long-period groundswell, and with glassy conditions, it's going to be offering up some clean, lined-up waves. The energy is moderate (755). Monday morning brings a 2ft SW swell with a 17-second period, still glassy, and Tuesday morning is a touch smaller at 2ft SW but with a 16-second period and glassy. These are all prime morning sessions.

We hit a bit of a hiccup later in the week. Thursday the 27th morning is still good with a 2ft SW, 18-second swell and glassy conditions, but the real standout is looming. Friday morning, the 28th of August, is the one to circle. The swell jumps to 5ft from the SSW, with a 17-second period and glassy conditions. The energy is going to be strong (1390), and the report says it's excellent for experienced surfers. That's a legitimate wave. The afternoon gets a bit messy with cross-on wind, but that morning is the best of the first week.

The weekend of the 29th and 30th of August is a write-off. The swell is up to 6ft, which is a proper size, but the wind swings around to the southeast and howls, making it a lumpy, cross-onshore mess. The energy is high (1627), but the quality is zero. This would be a better setup for kite surfing than a clean paddle session.

We then get a bit of a clean-up on Monday the 31st of August. The swell drops to 4ft from the SSW, and with offshore/glassy wind from the northwest, it's going to be a fun morning. Tuesday, the 1st of September, is similar with a 3ft SSW swell and glassy conditions.

Then, we get another promising window. Wednesday morning, the 2nd of September, has a 3ft SW swell with a 16-second period and offshore wind. Thursday morning, the 3rd, builds to 4ft SW with a 17-second period, glassy, and moderate energy (934). And the real kicker comes on Friday morning, the 4th of September. We're looking at a 5ft SSW swell, a 16-second period, and glassy conditions, with strong energy (1078). It's another excellent session for experienced surfers. That's the other big standout, but it's over a week away, so lock it in with a bit of caution.

So, to sum it up: the best bets are the glassy mornings from now through the 28th, with Saturday the 22nd, Sunday the 23rd, and Friday the 28th being the absolute standouts. The 29th and 30th are a washout, but then it cleans up again, with Friday the 4th of September looking like a cracker. Ixtapa is a beginner-friendly spot, but when the swell hits 5ft, it's going to be a bit more challenging for the groms. The water temp is about average for this time of year.

Rusty, signing off.

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