
Surf Forecasts:
Ixtapa surf forecast from 20 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 20 Jul, 9PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 15s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 27 Jul, 3AM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 18s period, SSW swell with 2,575 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 20 Jul, 9PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 15s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Ixtapa this week:
The surf forecast for Ixtapa over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 20) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 12s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Ixtapa in the next 16 days are 2.1m 18s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 27) at 3AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (CST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9PM (Mon 20th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 9PM (Mon 20th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 3AM (Mon 27th Jul) | 7ft (2.1m) 18s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Ixtapa over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at the next 16 days for Ixtapa. We’re starting off with some good energy right away.
The overall pattern sees a solid run of South and South-Southwest swell, with the period hanging around 14 to 16 seconds for the first week – that’s proper groundswell territory. The best windows are going to be the mornings, when that glassy calm or light offshore wind is in play. The afternoons tend to get a bit of a cross-onshore breeze, so plan your sessions early.
The water is feeling much warmer than normal for this time of year, over 2° warmer than average, so you might not even need a spring suit.
The standout morning is Monday, July 20th. We’ve got a 4 ft SW groundswell, with a 16-second period pumping in a solid 1052 units of combined energy. The wind is glassy, absolutely zero breeze. The conditions are excellent for experienced surfers, offering clean, powerful lines. It’s a bit of a bigger day for beginners, but for anyone who knows what they’re doing, Ixtapa will be offering some long, clean rides.
Another cracker is shaping up for Saturday, July 25th. The morning session has a 4 ft SW swell, but the energy jumps to 1391. The wind is light and glassy again. This one is a bit more manageable in size but still has plenty of punch.
Towards the end of the first week and into the second, the swell builds. On Sunday, July 26th, the morning glass is back with a 5 ft SSW swell. Then Monday, July 27th, we’re looking at 5 ft SSW with a clean cross-offshore wind and 2157 energy units. Tuesday, July 28th, the morning is glassy with a 7 ft SSW swell. That’s getting into expert territory, but for those with the skill, the wave quality is excellent.
The second week drops off a bit in size, but quality remains. The mornings of July 30th and 31st offer clean, glassy conditions on a 5 ft to 6 ft SSW swell. The last really good morning is August 4th, with a 4 ft W swell, glassy wind, and 673 energy units. After that, the run of good conditions fades, and the forecast gets a bit messy with wind and rain, leaving a few days with nothing to recommend.
So, if you’re chasing the absolute best, set your alarm for the mornings of July 20th and July 25th. That’s the pick of the run.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 24mm), heaviest during Wed morning. Warm (max 30°C on Mon morning, min 26°C on Wed morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Warm (max 30°C on Thu afternoon, min 26°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | |||||||||||||||
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 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SSW 26 | SSW 24 | SW 24 | SW 22 | SSW 21 | SW 21 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SW 18 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
813 | 793 | 733 | 536 | 471 | 357 | 288 | 288 | 234 | 175 | 263 | 371 | 563 | 516 | 2092 | 1002 | 1845 | 1845 | 1448 | 1415 | 1777 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross | cross | glassy | glassy | glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 7:11PM0.55m | 8:52AM0.69m | 7:40PM0.53m | 9:25AM0.73m | 8:00PM0.52m | 9:55AM0.73m | 8:11PM0.50m | 10:23AM0.73m | 8:11PM0.50m | 10:49AM0.71m | 8:07PM0.51m | 11:15AM0.68m | 8:06PM0.53m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 2:00PM0.39m | 1:40AM0.17m | 2:51PM0.39m | 2:05AM0.12m | 3:29PM0.40m | 2:27AM0.09m | 3:57PM0.41m | 2:47AM0.07m | 4:17PM0.43m | 3:07AM0.05m | 4:30PM0.45m | 3:26AM0.04m | 4:40PM0.48m | ||||||||
6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | |
— | 7:23 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | |
mm | — | — | 2 | 1 | — | 10 | 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | 1 | 1 | — | 3 | 2 |
Temp °C | 30 | 30 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 30 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 27 |
Feels °C | 34 | 33 | 33 | 34 | 33 | 33 | 30 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 35 | 33 | 34 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 31 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 10 | W 9 | W 12 | W 12 | SSW 21 | SW 21 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SW 18 |
813 | 793 | 733 | 536 | 471 | 357 | 288 | 288 | 213 | 150 | 133 | 87 | 232 | 220 | 2092 | 1002 | 1845 | 1845 | 1448 | 1415 | 1777 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 12 | S 12 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 24 | SW 22 | W 12 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 |
178 | 177 | 268 | 167 | 163 | 121 | 109 | 152 | 234 | 175 | 138 | 136 | 563 | 516 | 220 | 232 | 265 | 141 | 249 | 251 | 169 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 9 | W 8 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | W 4 | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | SSW 26 | SSW 24 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SSE 13 | W 11 | W 11 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 |
61 | 37 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 14 | 106 | 103 | 69 | 60 | 263 | 371 | 130 | 72 | 109 | 157 | 114 | 79 | 49 | 48 | 47 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | WNW 4 | W 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | 5 | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 537 | 0 | 0 | 537 | 21 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 534 | 0 | 0 | 534 | 0 | 0 | 134 | 0 | 0 | 534 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Guerrero | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Mexico | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Ixtapa Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Ixtapa provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Ixtapa can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Ixtapa 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) 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 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 is 7 km (4 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.










