Surf Forecasts:
Ixtapa surf forecast from 17 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 17 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 17s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 18 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 16s period, SSW swell with 822 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 17 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 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 Monday (Aug 17) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 17s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 13s. 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 1.3m 16s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 9PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 5s period and expected on Monday (Aug 24) at 9AM.
| Wave Type | Time (CST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9PM (Mon 17th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 17s |
| Best Surf | 9PM (Mon 17th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 17s |
| Most Powerful | 9PM (Tue 18th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Ixtapa over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here with a look at the surf ahead for Ixtapa. We've got a solid run of waves on the horizon, so let's get into it.
We're kicking off this Monday morning, August 17th, with a really clean start. The swell is a consistent 4ft from the SW, and with a 14-second period, that's some nice, lined-up groundswell. The wind is a light cross-offshore from the north at 3 mph, keeping the surface smooth. The water's about average for this time of year, so no nasty surprises. The combined energy is moderate but solid at 648, and the report says expect very good surf. This is a great session for the beginner-friendly waves here. Keep an eye on the afternoons though, as the wind swings onshore and makes things messy.
The best stretch is going to be the next few mornings. Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, August 18th and 19th, are looking prime. We've got glassy conditions with the wind dropping to nothing or a light offshore, and the swell hanging in there around 3ft to 4ft from the SSW. That's clean, fun-sized surf. The periods are staying long, around 14 seconds, so there's plenty of push.
We get a bit of a dip towards the end of the week, with the swell dropping to 2ft by Friday 21st, but with glassy conditions and clean lines, longboarders will be loving it. This pattern of fun, small morning surf and choppy afternoons holds through the weekend.
Now, for the standout. Keep your eyes on Sunday morning, August 23rd. The swell is only 2ft, but it's a very long period groundswell coming in at 18 seconds from the SW. That's tonnes of energy for its size, and the combined energy is a solid 805. With calm, glassy conditions, that's a morning where the clean, lined-up sets will be far better than the height suggests. The vibe will be peaceful, but sometimes there's a few out for a session like that.
Moving into the following week, things start to build. August 28th, Friday morning, sees a 3ft SSW swell with a 16-second period and a clean, cross-offshore wind. The combined energy is 809, and that's another very good call.
Then we have a serious pulse for the end of the month. Saturday, August 29th, is a bit messy with cross-onshore winds, but the swell is pumping at 5ft. The real gem is Sunday, August 30th. That morning, it's glassy with a 5ft SSW groundswell at 15 seconds. The combined energy is a strong 1191. The report says "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers". 5ft on that shallow sandbar is a proper step up—too big for beginners, but for those with the skill, it will be a session to remember. The only thing to be aware of is that with a long period groundswell, it can close out a bit on a beach break like this, but when it's glassy, there will be some bombs.
Finally, we wrap the 16-day window on September 1st, with a clean offshore wind and a fun 3ft, 18-second groundswell.
So, the call is simple: the best sessions are Sunday the 23rd for the sneaky long-period glass, and absolutely Sunday the 30th for the bigger stuff. Get on it.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 18mm), heaviest on Wed night. Warm (max 31°C on Mon afternoon, min 27°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 10mm), heaviest on Fri night. Warm (max 31°C on Fri afternoon, min 27°C on Thu morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | |||||||||||||||
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 14 | SW 15 | SW 17 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 13 | S 10 | SW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 18 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
606 | 693 | 291 | 561 | 592 | 649 | 443 | 431 | 342 | 229 | 222 | 178 | 186 | 211 | 330 | 282 | 290 | 290 | 327 | 290 | 327 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | on | off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | on | glassy | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | on | glassy | cross-off | on | glassy |
High Tide | 6:54PM0.48m | 8:08AM0.71m | 7:21PM0.49m | 8:34AM0.75m | 7:42PM0.50m | 8:59AM0.77m | 7:58PM0.50m | 9:23AM0.76m | 8:06PM0.50m | 9:44AM0.75m | 8:08PM0.52m | 10:03AM0.72m | 8:08PM0.54m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 2:11PM0.37m | 00:56AM0.21m | 2:37PM0.35m | 1:21AM0.15m | 2:58PM0.33m | 1:44AM0.11m | 3:16PM0.34m | 2:05AM0.07m | 3:29PM0.35m | 2:24AM0.05m | 3:37PM0.37m | 2:42AM0.04m | 3:43PM0.40m | 2:58AM0.04m | |||||||
6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | |
— | 7:10 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:08 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 17 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | 5 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
Temp °C | 30 | 31 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 30 | 28 | 30 | 31 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 27 |
Feels °C | 33 | 33 | 32 | 33 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 33 | 35 | 32 | 33 | 31 | 33 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 33 | 35 | 32 | 32 | 31 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 14 | SW 15 | SW 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | S 9 | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | S 10 | SSE 9 |
606 | 693 | 261 | 561 | 592 | 649 | 443 | 431 | 342 | 229 | 106 | 148 | 186 | 142 | 153 | 167 | 164 | 170 | 189 | 183 | 110 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 8 | S 8 | SW 17 | S 8 | S 8 | S 9 | S 8 | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 | SSW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 |
32 | 30 | 291 | 31 | 43 | 38 | 35 | 67 | 65 | 85 | 222 | 178 | 180 | 211 | 330 | 282 | 290 | 290 | 290 | 290 | 192 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 11 | S 11 | SSE 7 | W 11 | W 10 | W 4 | W 4 | WSW 4 | SW 21 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SW 19 | W 4 | SSW 18 | SW 18 | SW 20 | SW 19 | SW 20 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 |
10 | 9 | 17 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 67 | 31 | 32 | 93 | 3 | 60 | 80 | 99 | 96 | 186 | 327 | 258 | 327 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 4 | — | — | — | — | WNW 12 | WNW 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 4 |
— | — | — | — | — | 7 | — | — | — | — | 14 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 12 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 509 | 0 | 0 | 534 | 0 | 0 | 530 | 0 | 0 | 530 | 0 | 0 | 530 | 0 | 0 | 509 | 0 | 0 | 509 | 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.











