
Surf Forecasts:
Ixtapa surf forecast from 3 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 3 Sep, 6PM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 17s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 4 Sep, 9AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 17s period, SSW swell with 1,970 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 3 Sep, 6PM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 17s 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 Thursday (Sep 03) at 6PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 17s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 9s. 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 1.9m 17s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 04) at 9AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.5m 10s period and expected on Thursday (Sep 10) at 3AM.
| Wave Type | Time (CST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6PM (Thu 3rd Sep) | 5ft (1.5m) 17s |
| Best Surf | 6PM (Thu 3rd Sep) | 5ft (1.5m) 17s |
| Most Powerful | 9AM (Fri 4th Sep) | 6ft (1.9m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Ixtapa over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here, and I’ve been staring at the charts for our little slice of paradise. Let’s get into it.
We’ve got some really solid, consistent surf lining up over the next couple of weeks, kicking off right away. The standout is the early morning windows, especially when that offshore or glassy wind shows up. The water temp is sitting at 87°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so you can leave the 4/3 at home.
The first real call to action is Thursday, September 3rd morning at Ixtapa. The swell is a nice 5ft from the SSW, but the period is a massive 18 seconds – that’s proper groundswell energy. The combined energy is strong at 1606, and with the wind being glassy, the waves are going to be clean and lined up. This is a left-hander that loves this direction, and it’s going to be good for experienced surfers at that size. Keep in mind, with a period that long, the sets might be a bit spaced out, but the shape should be excellent.
Moving into Friday, September 4th morning, we get another beauty. The swell bumps up to 6ft from the SSW (period 17s), and the wind is flat calm. The energy is a very strong 2085. This is a bigger day, getting into the expert-only range for some, but the power is going to be there. Saturday morning, September 5th, is a similar story with 6ft (16s period) and glassy conditions, offering 1668 in energy. The quality is holding.
Sunday, September 6th, the morning is still clean with a cross-offshore wind and 5ft (15s period, 1134 energy). It’s a bit smaller, but still a great option. The pattern really settles into a nice rhythm: mornings are golden, afternoons get a bit lumpy with a cross-onshore breeze.
The second week is a bit more of a mixed bag, but there are still windows. From Monday, September 7th through Wednesday, September 16th, the mornings consistently offer clean, glassy conditions with swell holding around 3ft to 4ft from the SW. The periods drop a bit, but the energy is still moderate. It’s not the big stuff from the first week, but it’s reliable and fun.
One to circle on the calendar is Wednesday, September 16th morning. The swell is only 2ft, but the period jumps to a crazy 22 seconds. The combined energy is 843, which is moderate, but that long period will make it wall up nicely. The wind is glassy. It’s a long-range call, so it’s a bit of a tease, but it’s got promise.
Overall, the first week is the clear winner. The consistency is there, the winds are kind, and the swell is proper. Don’t sleep on those early sessions.
Stay stoked,
Rusty
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 14mm), heaviest on Thu afternoon. Warm (max 30°C on Thu morning, min 26°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Sun night. Warm (max 30°C on Sun afternoon, min 26°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SW 17 | SSW 17 | SW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SW 18 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
1415 | 1644 | 1417 | 1970 | 1631 | 1498 | 1479 | 1209 | 911 | 911 | 796 | 638 | 569 | 514 | 468 | 390 | 227 | 381 | 448 | 754 | 510 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross-on | off | glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | glassy | off | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | on | glassy | glassy | on | glassy |
High Tide | 6:49PM0.43m | 8:32AM0.81m | 6:59PM0.48m | 8:52AM0.82m | 7:20PM0.54m | 9:14AM0.81m | 7:46PM0.60m | 9:37AM0.78m | 8:15PM0.64m | 9:58AM0.73m | 8:47PM0.65m | 10:17AM0.67m | 9:19PM0.64m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 2:57PM0.35m | 1:01AM0.08m | 2:52PM0.36m | 1:28AM0.00m | 2:55PM0.37m | 1:57AM-0.04m | 3:03PM0.37m | 2:28AM-0.05m | 3:16PM0.37m | 2:58AM-0.02m | 3:32PM0.36m | 3:27AM0.05m | 3:49PM0.35m | ||||||||
6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | |
— | 6:58 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:57 | — | — | 6:55 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:53 | — | — | 6:52 | — | |
mm | 1 | 6 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 1 | — | 7 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 30 | 30 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 28 |
Feels °C | 34 | 34 | 30 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 34 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 34 | 33 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SW 17 | SSW 17 | SW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SSW 15 |
1415 | 1644 | 1417 | 1970 | 1631 | 1498 | 1479 | 1209 | 911 | 911 | 796 | 638 | 569 | 514 | 468 | 390 | 209 | 220 | 448 | 754 | 461 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 10 | WSW 9 | WSW 8 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 10 | W 11 | W 11 | W 11 | W 11 | W 11 | W 11 | W 11 | W 10 | W 11 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SW 18 |
175 | 154 | 103 | 110 | 110 | 108 | 159 | 182 | 189 | 182 | 255 | 206 | 149 | 144 | 98 | 110 | 227 | 381 | 210 | 109 | 510 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 7 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | — | S 12 | — | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | SSW 20 | S 11 | S 8 | SSW 19 | SW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 |
16 | 183 | 156 | — | 12 | — | 11 | 10 | 10 | 38 | 37 | 21 | 142 | 86 | 209 | 204 | 81 | 75 | 53 | 54 | 53 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 1472 | 0 | 0 | 529 | 0 | 0 | 537 | 0 | 0 | 534 | 0 | 0 | 534 | 0 | 0 | 534 | 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.










